Procurement in Profile

• The Court of Appeal's decision in Optima v DWP: excluding and clarifying non-compliant bids in procurement processes

Senior Associate Ellie O'Sullivan explains the Court of Appeal's decision in the claim brought by Optima v DWP and the practical implications faced.

• Guide to record-keeping obligations under Section 98 of the Procurement Act 2023

Partner Louis Sebastian and Associate Tayler-Mae Porter, discuss what contracting authorites should be aware of, regarding record-keeping requirements under the PA23.

• Procurement Act 2023: Pipeline Notices - what do contracting authorities need to know?

Partner Rebecca Rees and Trainee Solicitor Matt Jacobs, discuss the changes introduced since the Procurement Act 2023 came into effect on 23 February 2025, contracting authorities must now publish Pipeline Notices to meet new transparency requirements.

• Update on the publication of the BSI's PAS 8700 standardisation of modern methods of construction

Partner Katie Saunders and Trainee Solicitor Greg Barton discuss the update on the publication of the BSI's PAS 8700 standardisation and its requirements for Design for Manufacture and Assembly and MMC in new build residential properties.

• The EU AI model contractual clauses: a comprehensive overview for UK legal practitioners

Partner Amardeep Gill and Senior Associate Matt Whelan discuss the sudden usage of AI in public and private sectors which has prompted a pressing need for robust frameworks to govern its procurement and deployment.

Podcast

• Procurement Summer 2025 - a conversation with Rebecca Rees, Red Review

Partner Rebecca Rees speaks to Jeremy Brim, Host at the Red Review podcast, about the New Procurement Act's implementation, its first 60 days and where it might go from here.

• Navigating tech contracts under the Procurement Act 2023
  
  Partners Louis Sebastian and Amardeep Gill talk procuring tech contracts under the new Procurement Act 2023. 

• Procurement Act 2023 – Frameworks and Gold Standard
  
  Many of the rules regulating public frameworks remains very similar in the Procurement Act 2023. However, Senior Associate Andrea Leigh explores a few key changes.

• Assessment summaries: practical tips
  
  Senior Associate Ellie O'Sullivan and Associate Adele Shepherd explain how standstill letters have been effectively replaced by 'assessment summaries' under the new Procurement Act 2023.

• Procurement Act 2023 launch article - central digital platform
  
  On Monday 24 February 2024 an improved Find a Tender Service, known as the Central Digital Platform (CDP), was annouced. This platform serves as a hub for discovering public sector contract opportunities and submitting bids. In this article, Associate Jamie Norris explains the key role CDP plays in the PA 2023.

• The AI Advantage - Artificial Intelligence and Public Procurement
  
  Monday 24 February 2025 marked the "Go live" of the new Procurement Act 2023, the Government issued an updated Procurement Policy Note (PPN 017) on "Improving the Transparency of AI Use in Procurement". In this article Associate Tayler-Mae Porter explores the connection between AI and Public Procurement.

• The Government publishes the new National Procurement Policy Statement
  
  In this article, Rebecca Rees discusses the new National Procurement Policy Statement (the NPPS) published by the Government. This new NPPS acknowledges the signifcant influence of Procurement in aligning the entire public-sector budget with its overarching missions, primarily by ensuring value for money while also mandating compliance from contracting authorities and their outsourced contracters.

• The future of AI in public procurement
  
  In this article, Partner Amardeep Gill addresses the challenges that come with the integration of AI into public procurement and outlines the key issues and their implications.

Previous events and podcasts

• Procurement Week 2025 podcast series

To mark the launch of the Procurement Act 2023, the Trowers & Hamlins Public Procurement team hosted a series of podcasts featuring industry experts to discuss the implications of the Act.

Webinar: Procurement Act readiness - Top 10 tips

In this webinar, Lucy James and Rebecca Rees navigate the reforms, concentrate on the essentials and reinvigorate efforts to make the most out of the reforms in order to achieve good commercial outcomes through the procurement process.

• Construction Leadership Councils launches new public sector procurement guidance

On 24 February 2025, The Construction Leadership Council published its public sector procurement guidance on potential solutions to common evaluation issues faced by clients in the built environment sector. Rebecca Rees and Stuart Brown have been actively involved in drafting the guidance alongside industry experts. Rebecca Rees hosted a webinar on this topic alongside the key contributors from the publication.

• Producers to pay for packaging – a revolution in recycling

Partner Louis Sebastian looks at the opportunities and challenges arising from the Extended Producer Responsibility regime that comes into force in April 2025. New funding, and new expectations on waste collection and disposal authorities will impact their procured waste contracts.

• Getting your contracts ready for PA 23

Rebecca Rees and Stuart Brown look through PA 23 with an eye on the new drafting that is needed to make contracts fit for purpose under the new regime…and it is more than just the new implied clauses.

• The dawn of the leisure agency

Partners Scott Dorling and Louis Sebastian look at how the market for outsourced leisure service has reacted to changes in VAT treatment over the last 12 months, and how procurement processes are evolving to take advantage.

• Preparations for the New Procurement Act 2023

The PA 23 received Royal Assent on 26 October 2023: Partner and Head of Public Procurement, Rebecca Rees, provides a run-down of essential steps needed to get ready.

Previous events and podcasts

• Procurement Act, part 3: building a culture of integrity

Our Head of Public Procurement Dr Rebecca Rees and Alan Heron, Director of Procurement at Places for People discuss the topic of professionalism and integrity, why these characteristics are essential for good procurement officers and how this is being addressed in the new Procurement Act.

• Webinar: Procurement Act 2023 – 10 things you need to know!

Rebecca Rees and Lucy James explain the fundamentals of the PA 23 and how to get ready.

• Webinar: Procurement update

Since our summer update we have seen further PA23 guidance released – including details of the much-vaunted Central Digital Platform – while the steady stream of lessons from case law continues to flow.

• Powering progress: Navigating EV infrastructure expansion

Partners Louis Sebastian and Amardeep Gill look at key legal and commercial issues as highways authorities look to procure Charge Point Operators to roll out Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure.

• Procurement Act 2023 – reform and what it means to your organisation

Partner Rebecca Rees provides an overview of the key provisions for finance teams contained in PA 23 (accompanied by John Wallace – Director of Procurement, Clarion Housing Group (the Cabinet Office's Housing Sector Single Point of Contact).

• The new government's plans for staff under outsourced contracts

Partners Laura Welchew and Rebecca McGuirk look at Labour's manifesto pledges, and how procurement and outsourcing practices may change for the employees involved.

• Procurement Act 2023 – implementation and guidance 

Stuart Brown and Trainee Solicitor Greg Barton discuss what guidance the Cabinet Office have released to assist contracting authorities with preparing for the implementation of the Act. 

Previous events

• Webinar: Procurement Update

In our regular procurement update webinar, Charlotte Clayson, Andrea Leigh and Louis Sebastian explain recent developments in case law and guidance, and dive into the new Debarment and Exclusion regime under PA 23.

• Contract management requirements

Our firm's series of Procurement on Demand insights will assist contracting authorities, bidders and practitioners alike in getting to grips with the key changes and issues that may arise as a result of the Procurement Act 2023 (the 2023 Act)

• Changes to contract award procedures

The Procurement Act 2023 received Royal Assent on 26 October 2023. As part of the upcoming changes, the Procurement Act 2023 introduces a new set of contract award procedures. In this webinar, we look at the key changes and summarise the steps that authorities and bidders alike should take to prepare.