Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (PCR 2015)
The primary UK legislation governing public sector procurement before PA 2023; still applies to procurements started before February 2025.
Definition
The Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (PCR 2015) is the primary legislation that governed public sector procurement in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland before the Procurement Act 2023 came into force. PCR 2015 transposes EU Directive 2014/24 into UK law and sets out the rules, procedures, and thresholds for how public bodies must run procurements. PCR 2015 still applies to procurements started before 24 February 2025, which means many live contracts will reference PCR throughout their term.
How it works in practice
PCR 2015 defines five procurement procedures (Open, Restricted, Competitive Dialogue, Competitive Procedure with Negotiation, Innovation Partnership), sets statutory thresholds for above-threshold work (revised every two years), mandates publication on Find a Tender, defines the standstill period and challenge mechanisms, and lists exclusion grounds that bar specific suppliers (corruption, fraud, tax evasion, modern slavery convictions). The regulations are detailed and were comprehensively litigated through the 2010s; PA 2023 retains much of the substantive shape while reorganising and simplifying. Suppliers familiar with PCR 2015 will find PA 2023 broadly recognisable but with new notice types, the supplier conduct record, and simplified procedure list. PCR 2015 sits alongside the Concession Contracts Regulations 2016 (for concession contracts with revenue rights) and the Utilities Contracts Regulations 2016 (for water, energy, transport, and postal utilities). Live contracts awarded under PCR 2015 continue under those regulations until expiry; new contracts from February 2025 onwards follow PA 2023. Bid teams should maintain reference copies of both regimes for the multi-year transition period.
Common questions
Is PCR 2015 still in force?
Yes, for procurements commenced before 24 February 2025. New procurements from that date onwards follow PA 2023, but PCR 2015 continues to govern the conduct of pre-existing procurements through to their conclusion, and the resulting contracts continue under their PCR 2015 terms.
How does PCR 2015 differ from PA 2023?
PCR 2015 has five procurement procedures (Open, Restricted, Competitive Dialogue, Competitive Procedure with Negotiation, Innovation Partnership). PA 2023 simplifies to three (Open, Competitive Flexible, Direct Award). PA 2023 adds the supplier conduct record and updated transparency notice family. The substantive evaluation methodology (weighted quality and price) is broadly similar.
Which regulations apply to utilities?
The Utilities Contracts Regulations 2016 govern water, energy, transport, and postal utilities. Concession contracts (with revenue rights rather than a fixed contract value) follow the Concession Contracts Regulations 2016. Both sit alongside PCR 2015 in the historical regime and are largely absorbed into PA 2023 going forward, with some sector-specific carve-outs.