FPS (Forward Plan Schedule)
A forward schedule of planned procurements published by some authorities for transparency; functionally similar to a pipeline notice.
Definition
FPS stands for Forward Plan Schedule, a forward schedule of planned procurements published by some authorities as part of their procurement transparency. The FPS lists upcoming procurements with indicative scope, value, timeline, and (sometimes) contact for engagement. FPS is similar in purpose to a Pipeline Notice under the Procurement Act 2023 but uses different formatting and is sometimes published independently of the formal notice regime.
How it works in practice
FPS publication varies by authority: some local authorities and NHS trusts publish quarterly FPS as part of their transparency commitments; some central government departments publish annual FPS; many do not publish FPS but rely on formal Pipeline Notices and Prior Information Notices instead. Where FPS is published the content is typically broader than formal notices: not every FPS item progresses to procurement, and FPS items may shift in timing or scope before reaching contract notice stage. For suppliers FPS provides the earliest forward visibility of procurement intent: 12-24 months ahead of contract notice is typical. The Procurement Act 2023 mandates pipeline publication for authorities with annual procurement spend above £100M, which subsumes much of the FPS function under a formal statutory framework. Smaller authorities may continue to publish FPS as transparency commitments outside the statutory requirement. Suppliers should monitor FPS publication for target buyers as part of their pipeline scouting; KimonBids tracks FPS publication where authorities publish in OCDS-compatible format alongside the formal pipeline and prior information notices.
For suppliers building strategic position in a target buyer category, FPS scanning is high-leverage activity: identifying upcoming procurements 12-24 months ahead lets the bid team engage at the pre-market engagement stage, build relationships through formal consultation, and shape the eventual specification. Bid teams that wait for the formal contract notice miss most of this strategic value.
Common questions
Are FPS publications binding on the buyer?
No. Like Pipeline Notices, FPS publications are forward indications rather than commitments. Items can shift in timing, change scope, or be cancelled before reaching contract notice stage. Treat FPS as a planning input, not a commitment.
How does FPS differ from a Pipeline Notice?
Pipeline Notice is the formal PA 2023 statutory notice with defined publication requirements and OCDS-compatible data model. FPS is a less formal transparency publication; format and content vary by authority. Many authorities are migrating from FPS to Pipeline Notice as PA 2023 takes hold.
Where do I find FPS publications?
On individual authority websites under procurement or transparency sections. Some authorities publish FPS in Contracts Finder as planned notices; some publish only on their own website. Monitoring requires authority-by-authority tracking; KimonBids surfaces FPS-equivalent data where authorities publish in machine-readable format.