Did the rules on standstill change under the 2015 Regulations?

No, the requirements are substantially unaltered. The principal difference is that a standstill period is now required in over-threshold "light touch regime" procurements (whereas this was not obligatory under the old "Part B Services" regime). See below, but note that from 1 January 2024 the procurement of NHS healthcare services will drop out of the Light Touch Regime and instead be regulated by the Provider Selection Regime - which has a separate standstill mechanism. Click here to read our guidance note on the PSR.

Can we abandon a procurement following receipt of bids?

Yes, provided that you respect Regulation 55(1)(b) which provides that a contracting authority shall, as soon as possible after the decision has been made, inform any bidder that submitted an offer of its decision to abandon or to recommence a contract award procedure in respect of which a contract notice has been published. It is good practice to make it clear in procurement documents that the contracting authority reserves the right not to award any contracts as a result of the procurement process, and that the contracting authority will not be liable for any of the bidders' costs in submitting a bid.

Can we award different bidders different lots?

Only if the use of lots was anticipated by the FTS notice and the proposed award is consistent with the procurement documentation. Where a maximum number of lots to be awarded per bidder has been set, the procurement documents must set out objective and non-discriminatory criteria for determining how lots will be awarded where the result of the evaluation means that one bidder would otherwise be awarded more than the maximum permitted number of lots (see Regulation 46(5)). It is also possible to reserve the right in the procurement documents to combine lots, if more than one lot may be awarded to the same tenderer (see Regulation 46(6)).

What information should be included in award letters/letters to unsuccessful bidders?

The letters must include (1) the award criteria, (2) the name of the successful bidder(s), (3) the score of the recipient, (4) the score of the successful bidder(s), (5) details of the reason for the decision, including the characteristics and relative advantages of the successful tender; and (6) confirmation of the date before which the contracting authority will not enter into the contract or framework agreement (ie, the date after the end of the standstill period). See Regulation 86.

Can we use standard wording for the "characteristics and relative advantages"?

Probably not, as you will need to inform each bidder of the advantages of the winner relative to their own tender. This is likely to mean that each letter needs to be drafted individually.

Do we need to send award notification letters to unsuccessful bidders who dropped out earlier in the competition, eg, at pre-qualification stage?

It depends on whether those unsuccessful bidders have already been given the reasons why they were unsuccessful. If a bidder who dropped out earlier or was excluded earlier has, by the time the award decision notices are sent, still not been informed of the reasons why they were unsuccessful, you will be obliged to send them an award decision notice.

Do we need to send all the award letters/unsuccessful bidder letters out at once?

Yes. Staggering the sending of award notification letters is likely to be a breach of the principle of equal treatment. Also, the standstill period will not commence until all relevant letters have been despatched.

What counts as the first and last day of the standstill period?

The first day is the day following despatch of all of the award notification letters. The last day is the day before the contract is entered into and must also be a working day. The standstill period should be at least ten days. Where award notification letters are not sent electronically, the standstill period is extended by five days (or less where the contracting authority can prove delivery of the award notification letter). You can use our standstill period calculator to calculate the last date of a standstill period.

The contract is for a Light Touch Regime service. Do we have to observe a standstill period?

Under the old "Part B Services" regime there was no obligation to hold a standstill period. However, under the 2015 Regulations, the obligation to hold a standstill period applies to all contracts covered by "Part 2" of those regulations, which includes over threshold light touch regime contracts. The Cabinet Office guidance suggests that this is something of a grey area and that in cases of urgency "contracting authorities may want to weigh the urgency against the risks of proceeding without a standstill". However our view is that this is a potentially risky strategy and that a standstill period should be held for a light touch regime procurement that is over the relevant threshold (since failure to correctly run a standstill when one is required exposes the contract to the risk of a claim for a declaration of ineffectiveness). Note that from 1 January 2024 the procurement of NHS healthcare services will drop out of the Light Touch Regime and instead be regulated by the Provider Selection Regime - which has a separate standstill mechanism. Click here to read our guidance note on the PSR.

We sent out our award notification letters and today we have received a request from one of the unsuccessful bidders for a "debrief" – do we have to agree to this?

The "debrief" information should have been contained in the award notification letters and provided the award letters were compliant there is no obligation to provide any further debrief. However, contracting authorities may wish to consider providing additional information to bidders that request it.

Do we need to answer bidder questions about the process during the standstill period?

The procurement Regulations do not require contracting authorities to respond to all bidder questions about the procurement process during the standstill period. However, it is generally a good idea to respond promptly to any reasonable bidder queries as this is often the easiest way to address any concerns bidders may have about the process. Some bidder questions may also be requests under the Freedom of Information Act, where the contracting authority is obliged to provide a response, and may be obliged to disclose the information.

Do we have to agree to meet a bidder?

No. There is no requirement in the legislation for a face to face debrief. However, it is often in the interests of the contracting authority to meet a bidder and listen to any concerns they may have. It is also advisable to keep a detailed record of the debrief.

A bidder has submitted a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request during the standstill period. Do we need to respond to the FOIA request before we can enter into the contract?

There is no requirement to respond to a FOIA request during the standstill period prior to entering into the contract. However, you must comply within the time limits set out in the Freedom of Information Act.

Does the fact that we have received a Freedom of Information Act request mean we have to disclose absolutely everything the bidder asks for?

No. It is becoming increasingly common for unsuccessful bidders to accompany requests for a debrief with FOIA requests. The usual exclusions from disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act will apply, and in many cases information held in relation to a procurement will be commercially sensitive and/or confidential. Advice should be sought on the application of the relevant exemptions to information held. Whether an exemption applies may depend on when the FOIA request is made.

Where should I publish the Contract Award Notice?

When the contract is awarded, you need to publish a Contract Award Notice. Where the procurement was advertised prior to 11pm on December 2020 in the OJEU, the Contract Award Notice should also be published in the OJEU, ideally with a copy also to the Find A Tender service. If the contract was initially advertised on or after 11pm on December 2020 on Find A Tender, the Contract Award Notice should also be published on Find A Tender. There is no need to publish the notice in the OJEU for these procurements.

Award and standstill process regulated by The Public Contracts Regulations 2015

Information on the award and standstill process if the procurement is regulated by the 2015 Regulations.

Did the rules on standstill change under the 2015 Regulations?

No, the requirements are substantially unaltered. The principal difference is that a standstill period is now required in over-threshold "light touch regime" procurements (whereas this was not obligatory under the old "Part B Services" regime). See below, but note that from 1 January 2024 the procurement of NHS healthcare services will drop out of the Light Touch Regime and instead be regulated by the Provider Selection Regime - which has a separate standstill mechanism. Click here to read our guidance note on the PSR.
Can we abandon a procurement following receipt of bids?

Yes, provided that you respect Regulation 55(1)(b) which provides that a contracting authority shall, as soon as possible after the decision has been made, inform any bidder that submitted an offer of its decision to abandon or to recommence a contract award procedure in respect of which a contract notice has been published. It is good practice to make it clear in procurement documents that the contracting authority reserves the right not to award any contracts as a result of the procurement process, and that the contracting authority will not be liable for any of the bidders' costs in submitting a bid.
Can we award different bidders different lots?

Only if the use of lots was anticipated by the FTS notice and the proposed award is consistent with the procurement documentation. Where a maximum number of lots to be awarded per bidder has been set, the procurement documents must set out objective and non-discriminatory criteria for determining how lots will be awarded where the result of the evaluation means that one bidder would otherwise be awarded more than the maximum permitted number of lots (see Regulation 46(5)). It is also possible to reserve the right in the procurement documents to combine lots, if more than one lot may be awarded to the same tenderer (see Regulation 46(6)).
What information should be included in award letters/letters to unsuccessful bidders?

The letters must include (1) the award criteria, (2) the name of the successful bidder(s), (3) the score of the recipient, (4) the score of the successful bidder(s), (5) details of the reason for the decision, including the characteristics and relative advantages of the successful tender; and (6) confirmation of the date before which the contracting authority will not enter into the contract or framework agreement (ie, the date after the end of the standstill period). See Regulation 86.
Can we use standard wording for the "characteristics and relative advantages"?

Probably not, as you will need to inform each bidder of the advantages of the winner relative to their own tender. This is likely to mean that each letter needs to be drafted individually.
Do we need to send award notification letters to unsuccessful bidders who dropped out earlier in the competition, eg, at pre-qualification stage?

It depends on whether those unsuccessful bidders have already been given the reasons why they were unsuccessful. If a bidder who dropped out earlier or was excluded earlier has, by the time the award decision notices are sent, still not been informed of the reasons why they were unsuccessful, you will be obliged to send them an award decision notice.
Do we need to send all the award letters/unsuccessful bidder letters out at once?

Yes. Staggering the sending of award notification letters is likely to be a breach of the principle of equal treatment. Also, the standstill period will not commence until all relevant letters have been despatched.
What counts as the first and last day of the standstill period?

The first day is the day following despatch of all of the award notification letters. The last day is the day before the contract is entered into and must also be a working day.

The standstill period should be at least ten days. Where award notification letters are not sent electronically, the standstill period is extended by five days (or less where the contracting authority can prove delivery of the award notification letter).

You can use our standstill period calculator to calculate the last date of a standstill period.
The contract is for a Light Touch Regime service. Do we have to observe a standstill period?

Under the old "Part B Services" regime there was no obligation to hold a standstill period. However, under the 2015 Regulations, the obligation to hold a standstill period applies to all contracts covered by "Part 2" of those regulations, which includes over threshold light touch regime contracts. The Cabinet Office guidance suggests that this is something of a grey area and that in cases of urgency "contracting authorities may want to weigh the urgency against the risks of proceeding without a standstill". However our view is that this is a potentially risky strategy and that a standstill period should be held for a light touch regime procurement that is over the relevant threshold (since failure to correctly run a standstill when one is required exposes the contract to the risk of a claim for a declaration of ineffectiveness).

Note that from 1 January 2024 the procurement of NHS healthcare services will drop out of the Light Touch Regime and instead be regulated by the Provider Selection Regime - which has a separate standstill mechanism. Click here to read our guidance note on the PSR.
We sent out our award notification letters and today we have received a request from one of the unsuccessful bidders for a "debrief" – do we have to agree to this?

The "debrief" information should have been contained in the award notification letters and provided the award letters were compliant there is no obligation to provide any further debrief. However, contracting authorities may wish to consider providing additional information to bidders that request it.
Do we need to answer bidder questions about the process during the standstill period?

The procurement Regulations do not require contracting authorities to respond to all bidder questions about the procurement process during the standstill period. However, it is generally a good idea to respond promptly to any reasonable bidder queries as this is often the easiest way to address any concerns bidders may have about the process. Some bidder questions may also be requests under the Freedom of Information Act, where the contracting authority is obliged to provide a response, and may be obliged to disclose the information.
Do we have to agree to meet a bidder?

No. There is no requirement in the legislation for a face to face debrief. However, it is often in the interests of the contracting authority to meet a bidder and listen to any concerns they may have. It is also advisable to keep a detailed record of the debrief.
A bidder has submitted a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request during the standstill period. Do we need to respond to the FOIA request before we can enter into the contract?

There is no requirement to respond to a FOIA request during the standstill period prior to entering into the contract. However, you must comply within the time limits set out in the Freedom of Information Act.
Does the fact that we have received a Freedom of Information Act request mean we have to disclose absolutely everything the bidder asks for?

No. It is becoming increasingly common for unsuccessful bidders to accompany requests for a debrief with FOIA requests. The usual exclusions from disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act will apply, and in many cases information held in relation to a procurement will be commercially sensitive and/or confidential. Advice should be sought on the application of the relevant exemptions to information held. Whether an exemption applies may depend on when the FOIA request is made.
Where should I publish the Contract Award Notice?

When the contract is awarded, you need to publish a Contract Award Notice.

Where the procurement was advertised prior to 11pm on December 2020 in the OJEU, the Contract Award Notice should also be published in the OJEU, ideally with a copy also to the Find A Tender service.

If the contract was initially advertised on or after 11pm on December 2020 on Find A Tender, the Contract Award Notice should also be published on Find A Tender. There is no need to publish the notice in the OJEU for these procurements.

Award and standstill process regulated by The Public Contracts Regulations 2015

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