Procurement policy note 11/16: procuring steel in major projects - revised guidance · first published 12 December 2016
This Procurement Policy Note (PPN) 11/16, published in December 2016, is a practical guide for public-sector buyers on how to design major projects that involve steel so that UK steel producers get a fair chance to compete. It replaces PPN 16/15 and all earlier steel procurement guidance. Central government departments, executive agencies, and non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs) are required to follow it for major projects where steel is a critical component; wider public bodies such as local authorities and health bodies are encouraged to follow it too. There is no fixed contract value that defines a "major project" — each contracting authority decides for itself. The guidance also introduces a published pipeline of upcoming government steel requirements in England, giving UK steel producers advance notice to plan and bid.
WHO THIS APPLIES TO
THE ENKII VIEW
For UK steel producers and manufacturers that supply steel into public-sector supply chains, this pipeline of upcoming requirements is a genuine early-warning tool — use it to time your capacity planning and to approach prime contractors before tenders are published. The absence of a fixed value threshold cuts both ways: it means even modestly sized contracts could be treated as "major" by some buyers, broadening the opportunity set for smaller steel-related firms. However, because this brief is based on the GOV.UK summary only and not the full PDF, SMEs should read the complete guidance to understand exactly what social and environmental evidence buyers will require.
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.