PPN 07/21: Revised Contracts Finder guidance

This note reminds In-scope Organisations of the requirements to publish procurement information on Contracts Finder. Guidance has been revised relating to transparency requirements for publishing on Contracts Finder.

Part 2 relates to all contracting authorities and replaces PPN 07/16. NHS trusts are considered as sub-central contracting authorities for the purposes of Part 1 and are exempt from applying Part 2. The procurement of health care services for the purposes of the NHS within the meaning and scope of the National Health Service (Procurement, Patient Choice and Competition) (No. 2) Regulations 2013(b) is exempt from the requirements.

Key changes are:

• References to OJEU/TED have been replaced with Find a Tender service (FTS), reflecting the UK’s departure from the EU. Additional information has been provided on publishing to FTS and Contracts Finder.
• The term “Contract award” has been further defined as the date on which the contract is signed by the last contracting party, to avoid varying interpretations. Timescales should now be taken to commence on the day after the contract has been signed by the last contracting party and, if the deadline for publication of the information falls on a non-working day, the guidance clarifies that the contracting authority has until the end of the next working day to publish the information on Contracts Finder.
• Various amendments for central government

• Further clarity has been provided for redactions, framework agreements and contract modifications.

Click here to read PPN07/21 and the revised guidance.