Procurement Policy Note 02/22 – The Consultancy Playbook v1.1 · first published 20 September 2022
The Consultancy Playbook (Version 1.1), published via Procurement Policy Note (PPN) 02/22 in September 2022, provides guidance to central government buyers on how they should commission and manage consultancy work. It is aimed primarily at government buyers rather than suppliers, but it shapes the environment in which consultancies — including small firms — bid for public contracts. Because only the GOV.UK summary page was available (not the full PDF), the specific rules, thresholds or requirements it contains cannot be confirmed here. Small business owners bidding for central government consultancy work should obtain and read the full Playbook document directly from GOV.UK to understand the standards buyers are expected to apply. Wider public sector bodies are not formally bound but may follow the same approach voluntarily.
WHO THIS APPLIES TO
THE ENKII VIEW
Because the full PDF text was not available for analysis, enkii cannot confirm specific rules, weightings or gates that might advantage or disadvantage SMEs. Historically, the Consultancy Playbook has focused on demand management and value-for-money discipline on the buyer side, which can affect how consultancy briefs are scoped and awarded. SMEs should read the full document directly to identify any requirements around frameworks, approval gates, or pricing benchmarks that could affect their bids.
1. Download and read the full Consultancy Playbook v1.1 PDF directly from GOV.UK to understand the approval processes, scoping standards and value-for-money tests buyers must apply before and during a consultancy procurement.
SMEs bidding for central government consultancy contracts — Only the GOV.UK summary was available for this brief — the full rules sit in the PDF. Knowing buyer obligations helps you write bids that directly address the criteria buyers are assessed against.
2. Check whether your consultancy services are accessible via a Crown Commercial Service (CCS) framework, as the Playbook is likely to direct buyers towards approved routes to market.
SMEs bidding for central government consultancy contracts — Central government consultancy guidance typically steers buyers to framework agreements; being on the right framework can determine whether you are even considered.
Every rule below quotes the official document verbatim.
This document is Version 1.1 of the Consultancy Playbook, updated and published on 5 September 2022. (Central government buyers commissioning consultancy services.)
“Updated version of the Consultancy Playbook (Version 1.1) published 05/09/2022.”
This briefing is enkii's interpretation of the official document — the official text always governs.
Source document © Crown copyright, reused under the Open Government Licence v3.0 via the GOV.UK Content API. enkii tracks every Procurement Policy Note and briefs changes the day they land — see all briefings.