Procurement Policy Note 12/15: Availability of Procurement Procedures (Decision Tree) · first published 30 July 2015
This Procurement Policy Note (PPN) was published in July 2015 to update guidance on how central government buyers choose their procurement procedure — for example, whether to run an Open or Restricted tender process. The Public Contracts Regulations 2015 introduced new procedure options, so the government revised its Decision Tree tool and supporting policy to reflect those changes. The Decision Tree sits within the government's 'Lean sourcing' process, which aims to keep procurement efficient. For a small business, this document is mainly relevant as background: understanding which procedure a buyer is likely to use helps you anticipate the process you'll face when bidding. Because only a summary is available (the full PDF was not parsed), the specific rules and updated procedure options cannot be confirmed here.
WHO THIS APPLIES TO
THE ENKII VIEW
For SMEs, the practical significance is indirect: the procedure a buyer chooses (Open, Restricted, Competitive Dialogue, etc.) determines how you enter a competition and how early you can engage. Knowing that buyers follow a Decision Tree grounded in the PCR 2015 means you can anticipate the likely route for a given contract and prepare accordingly. However, because the full document text is unavailable, no specific new procedure rules or weightings can be confirmed from this brief alone.
1. Familiarise yourself with the main PCR 2015 procedure types — Open, Restricted, Competitive Procedure with Negotiation, Competitive Dialogue, and Innovation Partnership — so you know what to expect when a buyer announces its chosen route.
SMEs bidding for central government contracts — The PCR 2015 introduced new procedure choices that buyers now follow via the updated Decision Tree; knowing the procedures helps you prepare the right bid response at the right stage.
2. When a contract notice is published, check which procedure the buyer has selected and read any guidance on the Lean sourcing process, as this shapes the timeline and stages you will need to respond to.
SMEs bidding for central government contracts — The Decision Tree sits within the Lean sourcing process, meaning buyer timelines and stages are structured; early awareness lets you resource your bid team appropriately.
3. Read the full PPN 12/15 PDF on GOV.UK to confirm the specific procedure selection rules and any thresholds, as only a summary was available for this brief.
SMEs bidding for central government contracts — The full Decision Tree and detailed guidance are contained in the PDF; this brief is based on summary text only and cannot confirm every rule.
Every rule below quotes the official document verbatim.
The policy covers the choice of procurement routes (e.g. Open or Restricted procedures) and has been updated to reflect the Public Contracts Regulations 2015. (Central government buyers; all contract values and sectors)
“Since 2011 there has been a policy about the choice of procurement routes (e.g. Open or Restricted procedures) and the rationale supporting it.”
A revised Procurement Route Decision Tree has been issued as part of the Lean sourcing process to guide procedure selection. (Central government buyers)
“This was supported by a Procurement Route Decision Tree, as part of the Lean sourcing process.”
The Public Contracts Regulations 2015 introduced new procurement procedure choices, prompting the update to the Decision Tree and policy. (Central government buyers)
“With the introduction of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 there are new choices available and the policy, together with the Decision Tree, has been updated to take account of these.”
General policy expectations on procurement continue to apply alongside the new Decision Tree. (Central government buyers)
“It also sets out the general policy expectations on procurement which continue to apply.”
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.