PCR (Public Contracts Regulations)
The common abbreviation for the Public Contracts Regulations 2015; the predecessor of PA 2023.
Definition
PCR is the common abbreviation for the Public Contracts Regulations 2015, the predecessor of the Procurement Act 2023. The number "2015" usually qualifies the abbreviation in formal use (PCR 2015) to distinguish from related regulations (UCR 2016 for utilities, CCR 2016 for concessions). The regulations transposed EU Directive 2014/24 into UK law and governed UK central government, local authority, NHS, and wider public sector procurement until 24 February 2025 when PA 2023 took effect.
How it works in practice
PCR 2015 defined the procurement procedures (Open, Restricted, Competitive Dialogue, Competitive Procedure with Negotiation, Innovation Partnership), set statutory thresholds for above-threshold work, required publication on Find a Tender, defined the standstill period, set exclusion grounds, and provided the challenge mechanism (automatic suspension on procurement challenge). The regulations were comprehensively litigated through the 2010s, producing a substantial body of case law that shaped UK procurement practice. Key cases shaped the interpretation of evaluation discretion, the threshold for material change to specifications, and the standard of evidence required to lift an automatic suspension. PCR 2015 continues to apply to procurements commenced before 24 February 2025 through their conclusion, and contracts awarded under PCR 2015 continue under their PCR 2015 terms. New procurements from 24 February 2025 follow PA 2023. Bid teams should maintain reference copies of both regimes for the multi-year transition period; the substantive shape is broadly similar but the notice structure, procedure list, and supplier conduct regime differ. The Cabinet Office published transitional guidance; Crown Commercial Service updated framework documentation to reference PA 2023 where the framework crosses the transition. Suppliers should review their selection-questionnaire master content for terminology consistency: most PCR 2015 SQ content remains valid under PA 2023 with minor terminology updates.
Common questions
Is PCR still in force?
Yes, for procurements commenced before 24 February 2025. New procurements from that date follow PA 2023, but PCR continues to govern the conduct of pre-existing procurements through to their conclusion, and the resulting contracts continue under their PCR terms through the contract lifecycle.
What about UCR and CCR?
UCR (Utilities Contracts Regulations 2016) governs water, energy, transport, and postal sector procurement. CCR (Concession Contracts Regulations 2016) governs concession contracts with revenue rights. Both sit alongside PCR 2015 in the historical regime and are largely absorbed into PA 2023 going forward, with sector-specific carve-outs.
What replaced PCR in 2025?
The Procurement Act 2023 took effect on 24 February 2025 for new procurements in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. PA 2023 absorbs PCR, UCR, and CCR into a single regime with simplified procedures, unified notice structure, and the public supplier conduct record.