Public procurement runs on notices — formal announcements at each stage of a contract's life. Knowing what each one signals lets you get in early, before a tender even opens. Here's the map.
At a glance
- A notice is a formal published announcement at a point in the procurement lifecycle.
- The Procurement Act 2023 uses a standard set of notice types, each with a clear purpose.
- Early-stage notices — pipeline, planned procurement and preliminary market engagement — are your cue to prepare.
- The old Prior Information Notice (PIN) no longer exists as such; its jobs are now split across newer notice types.
- Watching early notices is one of the biggest advantages a supplier can give itself.
Why notices matter
Most suppliers only react to a tender notice — the live opportunity with a deadline. But by then, the buyer has already shaped the requirement, and you're starting from behind. The earlier notices tell you what's coming, sometimes months ahead, giving you time to prepare, ask questions, or even influence the specification.
The early-stage notices
These three signal that something is on the horizon:
- Pipeline notice — larger contracting authorities must publish these to flag upcoming procurements above £2 million that they expect to advertise. Think of it as a forward look at the bigger opportunities.
- Planned procurement notice — early notice of a specific procurement an authority intends to run, giving the market advance warning of a particular tender.
- Preliminary market engagement notice — published when a buyer engages suppliers before tendering, to understand the market and shape the requirement. If an authority carries out market engagement, it must either publish this notice first or explain in the tender notice why it didn't.
What happened to the PIN?
Under the old Public Contracts Regulations 2015, the Prior Information Notice (PIN) was the catch-all advance notice — it could flag planned procurements and, for some authorities, even act as a call for competition. The PCR 2015 provision for PINs was repealed on 24 February 2025 when the Procurement Act 2023 took effect.
The PIN hasn't been renamed one-for-one. Instead, its functions are now split across the Act's notices: the advance-notice role is covered by the planned procurement notice, and the market engagement role by the preliminary market engagement notice. So if you're looking for "the new PIN," it's really two notices doing the job the PIN used to do alone.
The live and post-award notices
Once a procurement is running, you'll see:
- Tender notice — the live opportunity, published with the associated tender documents. This is the one you respond to.
- Transparency notice — published when an authority intends to award a contract directly, without competition.
- Contract award notice — announces the winner and starts the standstill period before the contract can be signed.
- Contract details notice — published after the contract is entered into, recording the details.
(For how the award and standstill work, see how bids are scored.)
How to use notices to your advantage
- Watch early notices, not just tender notices — they're your head start.
- Respond to market engagement. It's a rare chance to talk to the buyer and understand the real need before the tender locks.
- Track pipelines for the big-ticket work relevant to you.
The advantage here is almost entirely about timing. A supplier who sees a pipeline notice six months out can talk to the buyer, shape their understanding of what is possible, and start assembling evidence. A supplier who first sees the contract notice has three weeks and no relationship. Both are bidding for the same contract; they are not in the same position.
Frequently asked questions
What is a Prior Information Notice (PIN)?
Under the old rules, a PIN was an advance notice of planned procurement (sometimes a call for competition). Its provision was repealed on 24 February 2025; its functions now sit with the planned procurement notice and the preliminary market engagement notice.
What is preliminary market engagement?
When a buyer engages with suppliers before running a tender, to understand the market and shape the requirement. It's announced with a preliminary market engagement notice.
What is a pipeline notice?
A forward look that larger authorities must publish for upcoming procurements above £2 million that they expect to advertise.
Which notice is the actual opportunity to bid?
The tender notice — published with the associated tender documents. Earlier notices are advance warnings; the tender notice is the live one with a deadline.
Sources
- Find a Tender — Notice types
- GOV.UK — Guidance: preliminary market engagement
- GOV.UK — Guidance: pipeline notice
- Legislation.gov.uk — PCR 2015, regulation 48 (Prior information notices, repealed)