Transforming Public Procurement

Rating: Compared to financial year 24/25 Q4, the NISTA/SRO Delivery Confidence Assessment (DCA) rating at 25/26 Q4 remained at a RAG rating of Green. This is primarily due to all the major deliverables being achieved and expected programme closure on March 31st 2026. We are now in the final stages of closedown with only minor tasks remaining including a final programme closure report, the final programme board (on the 23rd April 2026), completion of remaining procurement notices on the CDP and handover to BAU. This is all confidently expected to be completed by the end of March.

Schedule: Compared to financial year 24/25 Q4, the project's end-date at 25/26 Q4 remained the same. This is primarily due to all the major deliverables being achieved and expected programme closure on March 31st 2026. All tasks are confidently expected to be completed by the end of March.

Cost: Following the integration of comprehensive maintenance costs through to Programme closure, the total Whole Life Cost has been slightly decreased.

Source: NISTA Major Projects Annual Report 2025-26 (data)

Rating: Compared to financial year 23/24-Q4, the Infrastructure Project Authority's Delivery Confidence Assessment rating at 24/25-Q4 increased from AMBER to GREEN. This is primarily due to the following factors‚ The programme achieved a successful go-live on the 24th February 2025 as planned, with the commencement of the Procurement Act and successful launch of the central digital platform. In the first month of operation, over 2000 procurement notices were published and 13,000 suppliers registered. Overall take up of the learning and development products remains high, with nearly 19,000 learners having completed the e-learning and over 14,500 enrolled on the advanced ‘deep dive’ training. The National Procurement Policy Statement laid in Parliament prior to go-live constituted the final major workstream of the Policy and Legislation project and this has now subsequently entered closedown, along with the Learning and Development project. With the major components now delivered, the programme is focused on further development of the central digital platform. Evaluation planning is underway, with an interim evaluation planned to assess the first year of delivery, ahead of full evaluation after 5 years. We anticipate the programme to enter closure as planned at the end of 2025/26.

Schedule: Compared to financial year 23/24-Q4, the project's end-date at 24/25-Q4 increased from 31/03/2025 to 31/03/2026. This is primarily due to the following factors‚ The project end date was moved to 31/03/2026 in financial year 23/24, as a result of the later than anticipated royal assent of the Procurement Act in October 2023. There has been no further change to project end date during 24/25.

Cost: Compared to financial year 23/24-Q4, the project's departmentally agreed Whole Life Cost at 24/25-Q4 (measured in £m) remained at 31.5. This is primarily due to the following factors‚ The project's baseline has stabilised at £31.5m and expected whole life costs are in line with this.

Source: NISTA Annual Report 2024-25 (data)

Rating: Compared to financial year 22/23-Q4, the Senior Responsible Owner's Delivery Confidence Assessment rating at 23/24-Q4 remained at Amber. This is primarily due to the following factors. 2023-24 witnessed significant milestones in the programme with the Royal Assent of the Procurement Act, launch of first training and guidance products, releases of digital notices to key stakeholders, and engagement and communications activities to support the launch of the new regime. The programme remains on track to deliver the new regime in October 2024. The laying of the secondary legislation on the 25th March ensured that the six month implementation period has been maintained. The Programme underwent an assurance review in November, resulting in an Amber appraisal and confidence from the reviewers that delivery to the original stated outcomes would be achieved.

Schedule: Compared to financial year 22/23-Q4, the project's end-date at 23/24-Q4 remained schedule to finish on 2025-03-31. This is primarily due to the following factors. Royal Assent of the Procurement Act was later than anticipated, pushing back the launch of the new regime to October 2024 and project end date to 31.03.2026

Cost: Compared to financial year 22/23-Q4, the project's departmental-agree Whole Life Cost at 23/24-Q4 remained at 35m. This is primarily due to the following factors. The project's baseline WLC remains at 35m. The project business case is being refreshed as we prepare for entering the next phase of the project lifecycle with go live of the new procurement regime in October 2024 and the subsequent development phases to follow.

Source: IPA Annual Report 2023-24 (data)