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On Tuesday 29th April, the public sector supplier community gathered in Halifax for the biggest ever YPO Supplier Summit. Representatives from some of the UK’s leading suppliers were joined by an array of industry experts to discuss, inform and shape the future of public procurement.

 Among the many guest speakers was Alistair Brownlee, the renowned Team GB triathlete and two-time Olympic gold medallist, who recently traded competitive sports for a successful career in business. Meanwhile, YPO was delighted to announce a three-year extension of its longstanding partnership with the NSPCC. However, many of the Summit’s biggest talking points centred on the rapidly evolving procurement landscape – specifically, the Procurement Act 2023.

Progressing the Procurement Act 2023

As a trusted partner to the supplier community, YPO chose to centre the conversation on the three core pillars of collaboration, social value and value for money – each of which have greater emphasis under the Procurement Act 2023.

Two months on from the Act’s commencement, Summit delegates set out to understand: what proactive steps suppliers should be taking to ensure partnerships with contracting authorities are cohesive, collaborative, and work for both parties equally. And with the reforms officially in force, has the transition to the new regulations gone as smoothly as expected? According to our delegates, initial feedback has been positive – albeit with a few key caveats.

“Overall, the public sector has coped very well,” commented Emily Heard, Partner at Bevan Brittan LLP – a member of YPO’s legal services framework. “That said, the challenge is likely to be when the more complex Procurement Act 2023 procurements approach completion, the first of which we are likely to see in about eight months’ time.”

In many instances, contracting authorities are still able to procure under existing Frameworks and Dynamic Purchasing Systems, many of which adhere to the now defunct Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (PCR 2015). However, once these procurement pathways expire, Emily warns that the public sector could experience choppier waters as Open Frameworks and Dynamic Markets come to the fore.

 “The most difficult question we are grappling with is modifications to existing PCR 2015 contracts,” added Emily. “If the modifications are challenged, is that challenge under the PCR 2015 or the Procurement Act 2023, and should the authority be publishing transparency notices under the old or new regime? We have given this a lot of thought and have arrived at a view, but it has involved looking at the problem from many different angles!”

As Partner for Governance & Procurement at Forbes Solicitors, Daniel Milnes also cautioned businesses to resist being drawn into a ‘false sense of security’ regarding the continued application of the old procurement regulations. “The new rules are very much in the minds of contracting authorities and they are exploring how to use the new flexibility to make procurement work better for them. That is going to involve some trial and error, and while many authorities are staying close to the old procedures, at least for now, that will change.”

Under the Procurement Act, the amount of information available to suppliers preparing to bid has greatly increased also, meaning suppliers will have to dedicate more time and resources to processing essential procurement information. Those that are unable to do so may find themselves bidding at a disadvantage.

“More so than ever it is going to be important to look carefully at the ITT [Invitation to Tender] to understand what’s being asked for and how it is going to be assessed,” confirmed Daniel, adding: “Tender responses that were successful last year or last time with that customer might not be suitable if the goalposts have moved. It would be unfortunate to lose out on a contract when a differently presented bid might have won, especially if the contract is valuable enough for losing bidders to be listed on the government website.”

Ultimately, one of the biggest takeaways from our Supplier Summit is that, while the Act has arrived, procurement reform is far from over. The groundwork may have been laid, but as PCR 2015 Frameworks and Dynamic Purchasing Systems are phased out, buyers and suppliers are likely to have their resources and resilience tested. Recognising this, YPO will continue to offer support to our supplier partners – through our dedicated training academy, for instance – to enable UK businesses to navigate a new world of opportunities in a changing procurement landscape.

Perspectives on the Supplier Summit

Clearly, preparation will be critical in the weeks and months ahead, and it’s clear that the Supplier Summit – and events like it – have an important role to play in prioritising collaboration, knowledge sharing and best practice.

According to Nick Prazsky, Business Development Director at edding UK, this year’s Summit provided suppliers with ‘strategic insight’ across a multitude of key areas – and offered greater understanding of how YPO is blending contract solutions and products to allow suppliers to better structure their offer.

From sustainability and social value to digitisation and market intelligence, the Supplier Summit is designed to give delegates the opportunity to hear from subject-matter experts and share their own insights. “This year’s Supplier Summit was highly valuable and well worth the time and resources,” added Nick. “It offered a clear view of YPO’s evolving strategy, helping us align our own approach to support shared goals. We’d absolutely recommend attending next year.”

Those sentiments were echoed by Emily Heard, who commented: “I think it’s hugely helpful for suppliers to see the mechanics of how a procurement has to be put together. This enables them to understand the time it takes and the safeguards the public sector has to adhere to.”

According to Emily, the Summit also gives public sector stakeholders the opportunity to gain insight into the commercial reality which suppliers face when tendering, enabling them to put together procurements that are more likely to be feasible and attractive.

For his part, Daniel Milnes added: “We learnt a great deal from the Summit about the wider service offering from YPO and their suppliers, the way those services were offered and how we might engage with other suppliers for the mutual benefit of the public sector and all who work within it.”

With the Supplier Summit over for another year, YPO would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who took part. According to Sam Wood, Supplier Marketing Manager at YPO, events like the Summit only work when they have fantastic suppliers who put the effort in to working with them on the day: “We're incredibly privileged to have so many partners and suppliers not only give up their time to join us on the day, but to engage with us to make this event a success.

“EdCo and Oxygen Finance both provided fantastic insight into their relevant markets, and the session delivered by Capsticks, Bevan Brittan, Forbes and Anthony Collins around the Procurement Act was extremely useful. But it's the participation of everyone on the day, asking questions, entering into discussions and forging new connections, that makes the Summit such a great event.”