John de Forte takes a sideways look at the world of professional services marketing. This month: what do the new procurement rules mean for professional services firms bidding for public contracts?
Though somewhat delayed, the new Procurement Act 2023 will come into force towards the end of February. Probably the most significant change from the bidders’ perspective is that it is now a legal requirement for public bodies to choose suppliers according to MAT, not MEAT. That is to say, ‘Economically’ has been dropped from ‘Most Advantageous Tender’.
Contracting authorities may thus include non-financial criteria (including quality, innovation and environmental impact) in their assessment, reflecting ‘National Priority Outcomes’. This means being able to take into account the capacities of a contractor to create new jobs and skills, tackle climate change and reduce waste.
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