The new Public Contract Regulations (PCR) 2015 will be laid in Parliament by the end of January and are expected to come into force in February, probably during the second half.

Key Welsh Government procurement policies already reflect many aspects of the new rules which will help to strengthen the Wales Procurement Policy Statement. For the pub-lic sector, this means being able to run procurements faster, with less red tape, more fo-cus on getting the right supplier and the best tender. For suppliers, the process of bidding for public contracts will be quicker, less costly, and less bureaucratic, enabling suppliers to compete more effectively.

It is important that those engaged in procurement activity across the public sector are fully aware of the new rules and what they mean for your organisation to ensure compliance for your organisation from February 2015.

The PCR 2015 are attached along with a summary of the top 10 changes that Value Wales has produced, plus Q & A provided by Crown Commercial Services which you may find helpful.

Please note Part 4 of the Regulations, which relates to the Lord Young recommendations, will not apply to bodies in Wales whose functions are wholly or mainly Welsh devolved functions.

If you have any queries regarding the new Regulations please contact Value Wales by email or contacgt Karen Coombs on 01792 765838/07792054577.