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Navigate the New Procurement Act with Confidence

Since 24 February 2025, the Procurement Act 2023 has applied to nearly all public sector contracts – including those awarded by academy trusts – with only limited exemptions.

The Act introduces a more transparent, competitive, and value-driven procurement framework. It encourages schools and trusts to move beyond the traditional “lowest price wins” approach and instead focus on long-term value. This includes factors such as lifecycle cost, operational (OPEX) savings, and return on investment.

Key themes of the Act include:

  • Greater transparency in both process and outcomes
  • A wider pool of tendering opportunities, particularly for local SMEs
  • An emphasis on best value, including the consideration of social value

To explore official guidance and learn more about the changes, visit:


At the same time, the Department for Education (DfE) is actively reminding academy trusts of their duty to demonstrate robust due diligence when selecting and appointing contractors. In 2024, failure to meet this standard led to the withdrawal of previously awarded capital projects, highlighting the importance of a compliant, evidence-based procurement process.

“The Procurement Act is a chance for schools to do more than just save money – it’s about choosing suppliers that deliver lasting value.” Tim Warneford

 

Warneford’s Approach to Compliant Procurement

At Warneford Consulting, we’ve always placed rigorous due diligence at the heart of our contractor and supplier selection processes. With the introduction of the Procurement Act 2023 and the heightened expectations from the Department for Education (DfE), we’ve taken further steps to ensure our approach remains fully compliant and future-ready.

Our enhanced procurement process includes:

  • Comprehensive pre-vetting of all contractors, consultants, and supply chain partners to ensure quality, financial stability, and proven delivery 
  • Adoption of the Delta eSourcing platform to manage tenders transparently and fairly, in line with public sector best practice 
  • Implementation of a two-stage supplier questionnaire: 
    • SQ1: Standard pre-qualification (financials, insurance, experience) 
    • SQ2: Contract-specific, weighted evaluation questions tailored to the project and aligned with the Act’s value-driven principles 

These improvements enable us to deliver more accountable, transparent, and strategic procurement outcomes for our academy clients.

 

For Suppliers: Get Tender-Ready

Suppliers interested in future tender opportunities through Warneford Consulting must complete the following steps:

  1. Register with the Government’s Central Digital Platform 
  2. Sign up with Delta eSourcing 
  3. Request access to Warneford tender opportunities by emailing:
    DMPadmin@warnefordconsulting.com 

Only registered suppliers will be considered for upcoming contract opportunities.

 

Tender Support for Academy Trusts

The DfE is actively reminding academy trusts of their obligation to conduct robust, transparent, and defensible procurement. Failure to meet this standard has already resulted in the withdrawal of capital funding in several 2024 cases.

Warneford Consulting supports trusts through this complex and evolving landscape by:

  • Scoping needs and developing clear procurement objectives 
  • Managing the full tendering process, from specification to supplier award 
  • Ensuring compliance with both the Procurement Act 2023 and the Academy Trust Handbook 

Also of interest: TTN Webinar on Martyn’s Law — a valuable resource for schools reviewing safeguarding and security-related procurement.

Let us help your trust achieve compliant, strategic procurement that delivers long-term value — not just short-term savings.

Contact us today to learn how we can support your next procurement project.

(Pop-Up) Upcoming Event

Tim Warneford will be speaking on the Procurement Act and running a procurement workshop at the Education Estates Conference, Manchester, 14–15 October 2025
Free registration for public sector attendees. Register Here 

 

Infographic Idea

“Procurement Process Under the New Act”
 A visual roadmap showing:

  1. Scoping requirements 
  2. Supplier pre-vetting 
  3. Tender issued via Delta 
  4. Evaluation (SQ1 & SQ2) 
  5. Contract awarded 
  6. Ongoing performance monitoring