# The Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (revoked) S.I. 2015/102 · made 4 February 2015 · revised to 24 February 2025 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . PDFs: Printed copy https://openlegislation.uk/public-contracts-regulations-2015-revoked/pdf/uksi_20150102_en.pdf; UK Explanatory Memorandum https://openlegislation.uk/public-contracts-regulations-2015-revoked/pdf/uksiem_20150102_en.pdf ## Introductory text Public Procurement Made 4th February 2015 Laid before Parliament 5th February 2015 Coming into force in accordance with regulation 1(2) to (6) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ## Part 1: GENERAL ## 1 Citation, commencement, extent and application . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ## 2 Definitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ## Part 2: RULES IMPLEMENTING THE PUBLIC CONTRACTS DIRECTIVE ### Chapter 1: SCOPE AND GENERAL PRINCIPLES ### Scope ### Subject-matter and mixed procurement ## 3 Subject-matter and scope of Part 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ## 4 Mixed procurement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ### Thresholds ## 5 Threshold amounts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ## 5A Review and amendment of certain thresholds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ## 6 Methods for calculating the estimated value of procurement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ### Exclusions ## 7 Contracts in the water, energy, transport and postal services sectors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ## 8 Specific exclusions in the field of electronic communications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ## 9 Public contracts awarded, and design contests organised, pursuant to international rules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ## 10 Specific exclusions for service contracts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ## 11 Service contracts awarded on the basis of an exclusive right . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ## 12 Public contracts between entities within the public sector . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ## 12A Contracts and framework agreements for health care services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ### Specific situations ## 13 Contracts subsidised by contracting authorities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ## 14 Research and development services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ## 15 Defence and security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ## 16 Mixed procurement involving defence or security aspects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ## 17 Public contracts and design contests involving defence or security aspects which are awarded or organised pursuant to international rules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ### General Rules ## 18 Principles of procurement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ## 19 Economic operators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ## 20 Reserved contracts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ## 21 Confidentiality . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ## 22 Rules applicable to communication . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ## 22A Powers to amend regulation 22 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ## 23 Nomenclatures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ## 24 Conflicts of interest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ### Chapter 2: RULES ON PUBLIC CONTRACTS ### Procedures ## 25 Conditions relating to international agreements by which the EU is bound, other than the GPA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ## 25A Conditions relating to the GPA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ## 25B Conditions relating to international agreements by which the United Kingdom is bound, other than the GPA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ## 26 Choice of procedures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ## 27 Open procedure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ## 28 Restricted procedure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ## 29 Competitive procedure with negotiation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ## 30 Competitive dialogue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ## 31 Innovation partnership . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ## 32 Use of the negotiated procedure without prior publication . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ### Techniques and Instruments for Electronic and Aggregated Procurement ## 33 Framework agreements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ## 34 Dynamic purchasing systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ## 35 Electronic auctions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ## 36 Electronic catalogues . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ## 37 Centralised purchasing activities and central purchasing bodies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ## 38 Occasional joint procurement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ## 39 Procurement involving contracting authorities from other member States . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ### Conduct of the Procedure ### Preparation ## 40 Preliminary market consultations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ## 41 Prior involvement of candidates or tenderers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ## 42 Technical specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ## 43 Labels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ## 44 Test reports, certificates and other means of proof . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ## 45 Variants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ## 46 Division of contracts into lots . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ## 47 Setting time limits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ### Publication and transparency ## 48 Prior information notices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ## 49 Contract notices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ## 50 Contract award notices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ## 51 Publication on the UK e-notification service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ## 52 Publication otherwise than on the UK e-notification service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ## 53 Electronic availability of procurement documents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ## 54 Invitations to candidates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ## 55 Informing candidates and tenderers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ### Choice of participants and award of contracts ## 56 General principles in awarding contracts etc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ## 57 Exclusion grounds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ## 58 Selection criteria . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ## 59 ... Single Procurement Document . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ## 60 Means of proof . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ## 61 Recourse to e-Certis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ## 62 Quality assurance standards and environmental management standards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ## 63 Reliance on the capacities of other entities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ## 64 Recognition of official lists of approved economic operators and certification by certification bodies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ## 65 Reduction of the number of otherwise qualified candidates to be invited to participate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ## 66 Reduction of the number of tenders and solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ## 67 Contract award criteria . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ## 68 Life-cycle costing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ## 69 Abnormally low tenders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ### Contract Performance ## 70 Conditions for performance of contracts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ## 71 Subcontracting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ## 72 Modification of contracts during their term . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ## 73 Termination of contracts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ### Chapter 3: PARTICULAR PROCUREMENT REGIMES ### Social and Other Specific Services ## 74 Award of contracts for social and other specific services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ## 75 Publication of notices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ## 76 Principles of awarding contracts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ## 77 Reserved contracts for certain services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ### Rules Governing Design Contests ## 78 Scope of Section 8 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ## 79 Notices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ## 80 Rules on the organisation of design contests and the selection of participants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ## 81 Composition of the jury . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ## 82 Decisions of the jury . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ### Chapter 4: RECORDS AND REPORTS ## 83 Retention of contract copies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ## 84 Reporting and documentation requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ### Chapter 4A: REGULATIONS UNDER THIS PART ## 84A General provisions about regulations under this Part . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ## Part 3: REMEDIES ### Chapter 5: FACILITATION OF REMEDIES ## 85 Scope of Chapter 5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ## 86 Notices of decisions to award a contract or conclude a framework agreement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ## 87 Standstill period . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ### Chapter 6: APPLICATIONS TO THE COURT ## 88 Interpretation of Chapter 6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ## 89 Duty owed to economic operators from the United Kingdom and Gibraltar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ## 90 Duty owed to economic operators from countries with whom the EU has an international agreement, other than the GPA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ## 90A Duty owed to economic operators from GPA parties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ## 90B Duty owed to economic operators from countries with whom the United Kingdom has an international agreement, other than the GPA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ## 91 Enforcement of duties through the Court . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ## 92 General time limits for starting proceedings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ## 93 Special time limits for seeking a declaration of ineffectiveness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ## 94 Starting proceedings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ## 95 Contract-making suspended by challenge to award decision . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ## 96 Interim orders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ## 97 Remedies where the contract has not been entered into . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ## 98 Remedies where the contract has been entered into . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ## 99 Grounds for ineffectiveness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ## 100 General interest grounds for not making a declaration of ineffectiveness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ## 101 The consequences of ineffectiveness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ## 102 Penalties in addition to, or instead of, ineffectiveness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ## 103 Ineffectiveness etc. in relation to specific contracts based on a framework agreement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ## 104 Injunctions against the Crown . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ## Part 4: MISCELLANEOUS OBLIGATIONS ### Chapter 7: ADDITIONAL RULES FOR PART 2 PROCUREMENTS ## 105 Scope of Chapter 7 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ## 106 Publication of information on Contracts Finder where contract notices are used . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ## 107 Qualitative selection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ## 108 Publication of information on Contracts Finder about contracts awarded . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ### Chapter 8: BELOW-THRESHOLD PROCUREMENTS ## 109 Scope of Chapter 8 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ## 110 Publication of contract opportunities on Contracts Finder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ## 111 Assessing suitability etc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ## 112 Publication of information on Contracts Finder about contracts awarded . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ### Chapter 9: MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS ## 113 Payment of undisputed invoices within 30 days by contracting authorities, contractors and subcontractors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ## 113A Contractual provisions relating to the processing of electronic invoices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ## 113B Application of regulation 113A to sub-central contracting authorities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ## 114 General provisions applicable to Part 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ## Part 5: REVOCATIONS, CONSEQUENTIAL AMENDMENTS, SAVINGS AND TRANSITIONAL PROVISIONS ## 115 Interpretation of Part 6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ## 116 Revocation and amendments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ## 117 General saving in respect of certain concession contracts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ## 118 General transitional provision and saving where procurement procedure commenced before 26th February 2015 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ## 119 Transitional provision and saving where utilities procurement procedure commenced before 26th February 2015 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ## 120 Temporary exemption and saving for certain NHS procurements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ## 121 Transitory provision prior to full commencement of regulation 22(1) to (7) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ## 122 Complying with regulation 113 before 1st April 2016 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ## Signature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ## Schedule 1 CENTRAL GOVERNMENT AUTHORITIES Where an entity listed in this Schedule is succeeded by another entity, which is itself a contracting authority, the successor entity shall be deemed to be included in this Schedule. ## 1 GPA ANNEX 1 CONTRACTING AUTHORITIES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ## 2 OTHER CENTRAL GOVERNMENT CONTRACTING AUTHORITIES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ## Schedule 1A PARTIES TO THE GPA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ## Schedule 2 ACTIVITIES CONSTITUTING WORKS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ## Schedule 3 SOCIAL AND OTHER SPECIFIC SERVICES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ## Schedule 4 LIST OF PRODUCTS RELEVANT TO THRESHOLDS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ## Schedule 4A INTERNATIONAL TRADE AGREEMENTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ## Schedule 5: PROFESSIONAL AND TRADE REGISTERS ETC. ## . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ## Schedule 6: CONSEQUENTIAL AND MISCELLANEOUS AMENDMENTS ### Part 1: Consequential amendments to Acts of Parliament ## 1 Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ## 2 Greater London Authority Act 1999 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ## 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ## 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ## 5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ## 6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ## 7 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ## 8 Public Services (Social Value) Act 2012 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ## 9 Health and Social Care Act 2012 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ### Part 2: Consequential and miscellaneous amendments to other legislation ## 10 Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ## 11 Civil Procedure Rules 1998 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ## 12 Service Charges (Consultation Requirements) (England) Regulations 2003 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ## 13 Schools Forums (Wales) Regulations 2003 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ## 14 Service Charges (Consultation Requirements) (Wales) Regulations 2004 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ## 15 Utilities Contracts Regulations 2006 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ## 16 Provision of Services Regulations 2009 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ## 17 Quality Contracts Schemes (Tendering Requirements) (England) Regulations 2009 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ## 18 Cleaner Road Transport Vehicle Regulations 2011 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ## 19 Defence and Security Public Contracts Regulations 2011 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ## 20 Schools Forums (England) Regulations 2012 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ## 21 National Health Service (Procurement, Patient Choice and Competition) (No. 2) Regulations 2013 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ## 22 Water Industry (Specified Infrastructure Projects) (English Undertakers) Regulations 2013 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ## 23 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ## 24 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ## 25 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ## 26 Energy Savings Opportunity Scheme Regulations 2014 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ## 27 Tax Relief for Social Investments (Accreditation of Social Impact Contractor) Regulations 2014 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ## Explanatory note . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . --- Source: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2015/102 (the official version) Page: https://openlegislation.uk/public-contracts-regulations-2015-revoked Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives.