Careers

Automatic suspensions and the public interest

Tim Care provides a summary of the recent case of Unipart Group Ltd v Supply Chain Coordination Ltd [2025], and assesses its impact upon the application of the Public Contract Regulations 2015 (PCR 2015).

July 03, 2025

Automatic suspensions and the public interest

News

Cabinet office launches 10-week Procurement Reform Consultation

June 27, 2025

Mayor of London cleared of breach of code of conduct over Taylor Swift concert tickets

June 20, 2025

Public bodies urged not to leave consideration of form of contract to last minute as Government unveils £9bn investment to tackle infrastructure backlogs

Jun 20, 2025

Auditors find failure to follow procurement rules but no evidence of criminal activity in appointment by council of contractor for diversity programme

Jun 05, 2025

High Court gives green light to fire solutions manufacturer for legal challenge to council ban on use of its products

May 19, 2025

TLT advises city council on procurement of joint delivery partner for major regeneration project

May 15, 2025

Plan to spend £1m on grounds maintenance rescinded after “unsafe” decision-making process

Apr 29, 2025

Ashfords bolsters procurement team with partner hire

Apr 29, 2025

HMRC to crack down on “tax avoidance” by residential care providers through use of VAT grouping structures

Apr 28, 2025

Transport for London excludes firm from tender over change to diversity commitments

Apr 24, 2025

High Court lifts automatic suspension in procurement dispute over £46m care and support services contract, refuses expedited trial

Apr 03, 2025

Spending watchdog issues lessons learned report for public bodies considering how to finance new public infrastructure

Mar 25, 2025

Insulation company banned by Royal borough from projects after being named in Grenfell Tower Inquiry seeks judicial review

Feb 25, 2025

Hugh James expands commercial team with partner hire

Feb 17, 2025

Missed red flags led to council overspend running into millions of pounds, independent investigators find

Jan 24, 2025

Anthony Collins bolsters procurement team with legal director hire

Jan 24, 2025

Integrated Care Board secures lifting of automatic suspension in procurement dispute over provision of urgent treatment centre

Jan 23, 2025

Procurement rules see city council reconsider approach to buying energy from community groups

Jan 09, 2025

Capsticks hires public procurement disputes specialist as partner in Leeds office

Jan 06, 2025

Competition watchdog launches investigation into possible bid-rigging over school improvement contracts

Dec 12, 2024

Judge says serious issue to be tried in procurement case against social landlord but lifts automatic suspension

Dec 05, 2024

Competition watchdog writes open letter to councils on street furniture contracts and exclusivity clauses

Dec 03, 2024

Government launches subsidy control consultation on increasing thresholds, introducing new streamlined routes

Nov 27, 2024

Public bodies procuring for NHS to be required to work with suppliers to identify and mitigate risks of modern slavery

Nov 21, 2024

NHS trust withdraws award of £65m contract after threat of procurement challenge

Nov 21, 2024

Thinktank calls for taskforce to tackle “significant” challenges facing public sector AI procurement

Nov 15, 2024

Bird & Bird hires procurement specialist as partner in London

Nov 12, 2024

Local authorities being left without adequate support to procure AI in public interest, research finds

Oct 03, 2024

Government delays Procurement Act commencement date by four months

Sep 12, 2024

Warnings issued over “adversarial approach to contract management” ahead of PFI expiry

Sep 12, 2024

Firms condemned in Grenfell report to be excluded from public contracts, Starmer says

Sep 06, 2024

Bromley road sweeper told by employer he cannot accept donations from fundraiser due to contractual obligations with council

Aug 15, 2024

Council failed to comply with procurement law, external auditors say

Jul 29, 2024

Browne Jacobson bolsters procurement team with partner appointment

Jul 16, 2024

High Court issues disclosure ruling in £100m dispute over alleged wrongful termination of contract for supply of Covid-19 lateral flow test kits

Jul 11, 2024

Competition Appeals Tribunal allows truck manufacturers to put forward mitigation defences in claim brought by 138 local authorities over cartel

Jul 11, 2024

Council loses dispute over definition of procurement exercise

Jul 03, 2024

Thinktank calls for planning, procurement and capacity reforms from next government

Jun 27, 2024

Public procurement and subsidies specialist joins Clarke Willmott from competition watchdog

Jun 21, 2024

Government issues National Procurement Policy Statement setting out strategic priorities

May 14, 2024

Whistleblowing allegations at council relating to £13m contract overspend went unheard, report suggests

May 13, 2024

Council fails in application for security of costs as ex-recruitment contractor brings ‘poaching’ claim

May 03, 2024

Must read

Families refusing access to support

Is home a suitable option for residence and care for a vulnerable adult if their family refuses access to support? Sophie Holmes analyses a recent ruling.

Families refusing access to support

Features

Local government reorganisation: the impact on procurement and contracts

Craig Athorn and Stephen Dorrian look at the opportunities and challenges for public procurement and commercial contracts presented by local government reorganisation.

June 25, 2025

Local government reorganisation: the impact on procurement and contracts

The Procurement Act 2023 and new homes

Lee Pickett, Colin Murray and Shaun Gamble examine how the Procurement Act 2023 assists contracting authorities in delivering new homes.

June 20, 2025

The Procurement Act 2023 and new homes

Navigating automatic suspensions

Richard Binns, Ryan Jenkins and Luke Parry-Billings look at the issue of a “sufficiently serious” breach in an application to lift an automatic suspension in procurement proceedings.

Jun 06, 2025

Navigating automatic suspensions

Contracting authorities and pipeline notices

Tim Care evaluates the new Pipeline Notice, introduced by the Procurement Act 2023, and the commercial impact such publications will have on contracting authorities.

May 02, 2025

Contracting authorities and pipeline notices

Lifting the automatic suspension: the need for evidence

A recent High Court ruling has emphasised the need for clear evidence in support of arguments both in favour and against lifting the automatic suspension in a procurement dispute, write Ed Williams, Vicky Pace and Nico Tilche.

Apr 11, 2025

Lifting the automatic suspension: the need for evidence

Webinars

Social Partnership and Public Procurement (Wales) Act

Blake Morgan's final Procurement Series Webinar is now available to watch as a pre-recorded session.

Unpicking the Procurement Act Episode 4: Challenges and Remedies

Unpicking the Procurement Act Episode 3: Contract Modification

Unpicking the Procurement Act Episode 2: Exclusion and Debarment

Unpicking the Procurement Act Episode 1: Overview and New Procedures

Webinar: Varying a public contract

Local Authority Insight Series: Local Authority Companies – How to Make Them Work

More features

Seeking clarification of tenders

A recent case highlights the importance of clear tender rules and when to seek clarification of tenders, writes Steven Brunning.

Impending Procurement Act: What you need to know

The Procurement Act 2023 will come into force next week. Liz Fletcher sets out some key actions for contracting authorities and suppliers.

AI and procurement

Anja Beriro looks at the potential use of artificial intelligence in public sector procurements.

Social Partnership and Public Procurement (Wales) Act

Blake Morgan's final Procurement Series Webinar is now available to watch as a pre-recorded session.

Why should you sweat the (seemingly) small stuff?

What are contract standing orders and why are they so important? Deepak Parmar explains.

Procurement Act government guidance – Perhaps 'not a reliable method of interpretation of the law'?

Andrew Millross looks at what might happen where there is a possible misalignment between the words of the Procurement Act 2023 and government guidance.

Contract management and performance

Bradley Martin looks at the new requirements under the Procurement Act 2023 in relation to the management of contracts.

The Procurement Act 2023 and development agreements

How will the Procurement Act 2023 change development agreements and land transactions? Christopher Brennan, Alison Richards and Alexi Markham explain.

The National Procurement Policy Statement – an opportunity for mission driven procurement?

Charlie Miller and Suhan Rajkumar examine the reasons behind the Cabinet Office’s survey on a new National Procurement Policy Statement.

Procurement Act 2023: Are you ready?

Louise Bennett sets out the key considerations for contracting authorities when they come to launch a procurement exercise under the incoming Procurement Act 2023.

Modification of contracts existing before the go-live date of the Procurement Act 2023

Jan Cumming considers the position on modifying contracts entered into or for which the procurement commenced before the go-live date of the Procurement Act 2023.

Unpicking the Procurement Act Episode 4: Challenges and Remedies

39 Essex Chambers Barrister Katherine Barnes is joined by Laura Thornton, Associate Director at Osborne Clarke, to discuss challenges and remedies under the Procurement Act 2023. Having identified the main changes, the speakers go on to consider the significance of the changes.

Unpicking the Procurement Act Episode 3: Contract Modification

In this episode, 39 Essex Chambers barrister Katherine Barnes is joined by Jonathan Davey, Partner at Addleshaw Goddard specialising in procurement and commercial law, to discuss the rules for the modification of contracts under the Procurement Act 2023, the extent to which these represent a substantive change in practice and possible difficulties arising.

Unpicking the Procurement Act Episode 2: Exclusion and Debarment

39 Essex Chambers barrister Katherine Barnes and Parishil Patel KC is joined by Lucy James, partner and National Head of Commercial Litigation at Trowers & Hamlins, to discuss the grounds on which suppliers can be excluded under the Procurement Act 2023, the new debarment list and the implications of these for procurement practice and litigation.

Unpicking the Procurement Act Episode 1: Overview and New Procedures

In the first episode of this series, Katherine Barnes and Rose Grogan of 39 Essex Chambers introduce the Procurement Act 2023 and its new procurement procedures. Over multiple episodes, Katherine Barnes, public, procurement and planning barrister at 39 Essex Chambers, will discuss the key changes to public procurement under the Procurement Act 2023 with various expert speakers. The podcast takes listeners through the key changes that will apply to new procurements from 25 February 2025, analyses the significance of the changes in practice and identifies possible pitfalls/difficulties that may…

Dynamic purchasing systems and below threshold contracts

Can dynamic purchasing systems be used for below threshold contracts? Emily Heard sets out the key considerations.

Procurement Act 2023: Light Touch Regime

Bradley Martin and Brieanna McDonald examine key aspects of the Light Touch Regime under the Procurement Act 2023.

Procurement Act guidance on frameworks is out – Buyers beware!

The latest batch of guidance on the Procurement Act 2023 (the Act) released by the Cabinet Office includes the eagerly awaited guidance on frameworks. Dr Steven Brunning looks at the key considerations.

Local authority owned companies and the Teckal exemption

In the second in a two-part series on local authority owned companies, Jan Cumming analyses the Teckal exemption.

Challenges to exclusion

Jenny Beresford-Jones considers the current position for challenging an exclusion prior to assessment of tenders at the SQ/Participation Stage, and how it will change when the Procurement Act reforms come into effect.

Challenges to exclusion

Update on limitation periods

A recent Court of Appeal ruling is a reminder of the applicable limitation periods for those procurements commenced under the current regime, write John Houlden, Laura Tudor and Abigail Cropper.

The new procurement regime approaches

With the introduction of the Procurement Act 2023 little more than four months away, Clare Hardy provides an overview of the key changes coming into force

Before, during and after a waste procurement process

Alex Lawrence looks at how to deal with recent – and ongoing - changes to waste procurement

Disclosure in procurement disputes

A recent judgment has significant implications for public procurement and the disclosure of documents in English law, writes Cheye Waithe.

The Procurement Act 2023: "go-live" confirmed

Emily Heard analyses the Cabinet Office's announcement of an intended “go-live” of Monday 28 October 2024 for the Procurement Act 2023.

Improving social value: a private sector perspective

Laura Thornton and Fergus Alexander set out some recommendations on how to deliver better results for social value in public procurement.

What’s in the Pipeline?

More government guidance on the Procurement Act has been published. Jenny Beresford-Jones sets out the main points.

Procurement Act 2023 – Teckal & Hamburg Exemption

Melanie Pears and Tim Care analyse the new obligations on contracting authorities in relation to the Teckal & Hamburg Exemption, drawing attention to any key changes from previous procurement legislation which contracting authorities ought to be aware of.

Procurement Act 2023 – Relaxation of section 17 Local Government Act 1988

Louis Sebastian and Rebecca Rees look at the Government’s plans to relax s17 of the Local Government Act 1988, which prohibits consideration of a wide range of "non-commercial matters" in procurement processes.

Details: 07.Aug.2023

Mark Evans has won the election to become the new deputy vice president of the Law Society of England and Wales.

Details: 04.Aug.2023

Law firm Bevan Brittan has boosted the Health & Care Regulatory team in its London office with the appointment of Amrita Hurst as a Partner.

Details: 21.Jul.2023

Huntingdonshire District Council appointed Michelle Sacks as its new Chief Executive at a Full Council meeting this week (19 July).

Details: 17.Jul.2023

Dawn Carter-McDonald, Hackney Council’s Director of Legal, Democratic and Electoral Services, is – subject to council approval – to be the London borough’s interim chief executive when Mark Carroll steps down as Chief Executive at the end of August.