Here you’ll find clear, plain-English explanations of key terms, processes, and principles used across NHS and wider public sector procurement.
AI
Artificial intelligence, or any machine learning tool including large language models.
Assessed tenderer
A tenderer that has submitted an assessed tender.
Assessed tender
A bid that has been formally evaluated by an authority against the published award criteria. This includes scoring the tender on factors such as price, quality, and other relevant requirements.
Assessment summary
Contracting authorities must provide each supplier that submitted an assessed tender with an assessment summary; this should include the required assessment information pertaining to its tender and, if the supplier was unsuccessful, the relevant information pertaining to the most advantageous tender.
Associated person
A supplier that the tender is relying on to satisfy the conditions of participation, other than a supplier who will enter into a legally binding arrangement to guarantee the performance of all or part of the contract by the tenderer.
Authority
Refers to the public sector organisation that is purchasing the goods or services, and is responsible for running a fair and transparent procurement process in line with public procurement regulations.
Award criteria
The standards that an authority uses to decide which bid offers the best overall value in the procurement process, as set out in the Technical Response, the Social Value Response and Commercial Schedule. Each criteria is given a weighting to show how important it is compared to the others. Award criteria and their weightings are always included in the tender documents, along with the marking methodology, so suppliers understand how their bids will be assessed.
Central Digital Platform
The central online system for the publication of notices, documents and other information in relation to the Procurement Act.
Clarifications log
A record of all questions and answers shared during a live procurement process. It allows suppliers to ask the Authority questions for clarification about the tender documents, requirements or process. The Authority’s responses are then published in the clarifications log so all bidders receive the same information at the same time.
Competitive flexible procedure
Not an open procedure, but any other competitive tendering procedure considered appropriate by the Authority for the purpose of awarding a public contract.
Conflicts assessment
Pre, during and post procurement reviews of the conflicts of interest risks in relation to the procurement.
Conditions of participation
Conditions a supplier must satisfy if they are to be awarded a public contract following a competitive tendering procedure. They must only relate to the supplier’s legal and financial capacity or their technical ability to perform the contract.
Connected person
Someone who has a close relationship with a supplier, such as a business partner, family member or someone with financial or decision-making influence or control over the supplier. Authorities may consider these connections when assessing bids to ensure fairness and avoid conflicts of interest.
Contract
A formal, legally binding agreement between an authority and supplier for the supply of goods, services or works. It sets out what will be delivered, the price, timelines, responsibilities and any terms or conditions. It ensures that both the Authority and supplier understand their obligations and provide a framework for managing the delivery of the service or product.
Contract award notice
A notice published by the Authority on the Central Digital Platform prior to the standstill period that sets out that the Authority intends to award a contract.
Contract details notice
A notice published by the Authority on the Central Digital Platform after the standstill period has concluded that sets out that the Authority has awarded a contract, as well as details relating to specifics of the contract that has been awarded.
Core supplier information
The essential data that an authority collects about a supplier during the procurement process. This can include company details, legal status and financial information. Authorities use this information to assess whether a supplier is eligible and capable of delivering the contract.
Data provider
The person responsible for submitting management information data on behalf of an awarded supplier.
Debarment list
An official published list of excluded or excludable suppliers. Authorities check this list to ensure that only eligible suppliers are allowed to bid for contracts. Being on a debarment list means a supplier cannot be awarded public contracts for a specified period.
Disregarded
This refers to a bid that an authority chooses not to consider during the evaluation process. This can happen if the tender is incomplete, submitted late, fails to meet essential requirements or does not comply with the rules set out in the tender documents.
DPA
This refers to the Data Protection Act 2018.
Dynamic Market
Previously referred to as a Dynamic Purchasing System, this is a flexible procurement arrangement that allows suppliers to join or leave or join at any time, rather then through a one-off tender. This approach is often used for commonly needed products or services where requirements may change frequently.
EIR
This refers to the Environmental Information Regulations 2004.
E-tendering portal
This refers to the electronic tendering portal called Atamis that Authorities use to publish tender opportunities and manage the procurement process electronically.
Excludable supplier
A company or individual who can be legally prevented from bidding for public contracts. Authorities check for excludable suppliers to ensure that only eligible suppliers are allowed to participate in the procurement process.
Excluded supplier
A company or individual who has been formally barred from participating in public procurement processes. Being an excluded supplier means the supplier or individual cannot be awarded public contracts for a set period of time.
FOIA
Freedom of Information Act 2000.
Framework opportunity
The procurement competition where an Authority seeks to set up a contract with one or more suppliers for a specific period. Suppliers awarded to the framework can then be invited to bid for individual contracts, called “call-offs,” without running a full tender each time.
Grounds for discretionary exclusion
Situations where an Authority may choose to exclude a supplier from a procurement process, even if the supplier has not been barred by law. This can include issues like poor past performance or breaches of environmental or social responsibilities.
Grounds for mandatory exclusion
Situations where an Authority must exclude a supplier from a procurement process by law. This can include serious issues such as bankruptcy, criminal convictions, fraud, corruption, or failure to comply with tax or social security obligations.
ITT pack
This refers to an Invitation to Tender pack, a set of documents provided by the Authority to suppliers when inviting them to bid for a contract. It usually includes a specification of requirements, instructions for submitting a bid, terms and conditions, and any supporting information they may need to prepare a complete tender.
Material sub-contractor
A third-party company or individual that a supplier plans to use to carry out a significant part of a public contract. Authorities may require details about material subcontractors during the procurement process to ensure they are capable, trustworthy, and do not create conflicts of interest. The main supplier remains responsible for the delivery and quality of the contract, even when using material subcontractors.
Most advantageous tender (MAT)
The bid that offers the best overall value to the authority, taking into account both price and quality (or other award criteria). Authorities evaluate tenders against the published criteria and weightings to decide which offer provides the best combination of cost, quality, and other relevant factors.
Open framework
A series of successive frameworks running one after another on similar terms, with a maximum duration of eight years. Unlike a closed framework, which doesn’t allow new suppliers to join after it’s initially awarded, an open framework must be reopened periodically, allowing new suppliers to bid or existing ones to re-compete.
PA2023
This refers to the Procurement Act 2023.
Pipeline notice
A public announcement that gives suppliers advance information about upcoming procurement opportunities. It helps suppliers plan ahead by showing what goods, services, or works an authority expects to buy in the future, along with estimated timelines and contract values.
Planned procurement notice
This is an optional notice which is published at the pre-procurement stage. It provides advance notice of an upcoming procurement and is designed to give as much advance information to the market as possible to enable potentially interested suppliers to determine if the upcoming procurement is something that they wish to bid for, and to provide maximum time for preparation.
Preferred service provider
The supplier successfully awarded to a contract.
Preliminary market engagement notice
A public announcement issued by an Authority to gather early feedback from suppliers before a formal procurement process begins. It helps the Authority understand the market, text potential solutions and shape the requirements for the upcoming contract.
Procurement specific questionnaire (PSQ)
A set of questions that a supplier must complete as part of a public procurement process. It collects information about the supplier’s financial standing, experience, capability and compliance with legal or regulatory requirements. Authorities use PSQs to assess whether a supplier is suitable and eligible to bid for a contract before evaluating their actual tender.
Reserve preferred service provider
A supplier who is included on a preferred list as a backup or secondary option. They may not be the first choice for the contract but can be invited to quote or tender if the preferred provider is unavailable or unable to deliver.
Service provider / supplier
The supplier that is successful in being awarded to a contract and enters into a contract with the Authority to deliver goods or services.
Specification
A detailed description of the goods or services that an Authority wants to purchase. It sets out exactly what is required, including quality standards, performance criteria and any technical or functional requirements.
Tender
A formal offer submitted by a supplier in response to a public procurement opportunity. It sets out how the supplier proposes to meet the authority’s requirements, including price, quality, and other relevant criteria.
Tenderer
The bidder / participant in a tendering process
Tenderer exclusion grounds
The legal or regulatory reasons an Authority may use to prevent a supplier from participating in a procurement process.
Tender notice
A public announcement from an Authority inviting suppliers to submit bids for a specific contract. It provides key information such as the scope of work, submission deadlines and where to find the tender documents.
Threshold
The minimum score or pass mark that a supplier must achieve for a specific question or section in the tender response.
Treaty state supplier
A company or individual based in a country that has signed an international agreement or treaty with the UK (or the relevant authority) allowing them to participate in public procurement. Authorities can accept bids from treaty state suppliers under the same rules as domestic suppliers, ensuring fair competition across borders.
TUPE
This stands for stands for the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations. It is a UK law that protects employees when the business or service they work for is transferred from one employer to another. In public procurement, TUPE often applies when a contract is awarded to a new supplier, ensuring that employees involved in the service transfer to the new supplier with their existing terms and conditions intact.