Definition
Open Procedure
A single-stage tender where anyone may submit a full bid.
The open procedure is the simplest competitive procurement route available to UK public buyers, allowing any interested supplier to submit a full tender in a single stage without a separate pre-qualification round. It is used under both the Procurement Act 2023 and the legacy PCR 2015 regime for straightforward requirements where the buyer does not need to shortlist bidders first.
How the open procedure works
Under the open procedure, the contract notice is published and all interested suppliers can request the full tender documents immediately. There is no separate selection stage: every bidder that responds submits both the qualification information (such as financial standing and technical capability) and the full technical and commercial tender at the same time, by the single submission deadline.
This makes it faster overall than a two-stage process like the restricted procedure, because there is only one deadline and one evaluation exercise, though it means every bidder must produce a complete bid even if they would not have passed a shortlisting stage.
When buyers choose it
Buyers tend to use the open procedure for lower-complexity requirements where they expect a manageable number of bids, or where they want to maximise competition and are less concerned about the administrative burden of evaluating full bids from every interested party. It is common for straightforward goods and services contracts and lower-value works.
- No pre-qualification stage, so any capable supplier can submit a full bid directly
- Single deadline for both selection and award information
- Often used where requirements are well defined and evaluation criteria are relatively simple
- Typically has slightly longer minimum submission timescales than a shortlisted second stage, since bidders must prepare everything at once
What suppliers need to prepare
Because there is no shortlisting stage, suppliers must submit complete evidence of eligibility, financial standing and technical capability alongside their full technical and pricing response from the outset. This means gathering references, accreditations, financial statements and method statements in time for a single deadline, so time management across the whole bid is critical rather than being spread across two stages.
A common mistake is treating the open procedure as lower effort because there is no separate PQQ; in practice it usually means more work upfront, not less, since all the qualification and award evidence has to be ready simultaneously.
Frequently asked questions
- Is the open procedure still used under the Procurement Act 2023?
- Yes. The Act retains the open procedure as one of the standard competitive tendering procedures, alongside the flexibility to design a competitive flexible procedure. Buyers choose whichever route suits the requirement, and the open procedure remains common for simpler contracts.
- Can a buyer reject a bid submitted through the open procedure for failing basic eligibility checks?
- Yes. Even though there is no separate pre-qualification stage, the buyer still assesses exclusion grounds and minimum qualification criteria alongside the technical and commercial bid, and a bid can be rejected at that stage if it fails to meet mandatory requirements.
- How long do suppliers typically get to respond to an open procedure tender?
- Minimum timescales are set by the procurement rules and vary depending on whether notices are published electronically and other factors, but because bidders must submit a complete response in one go, buyers often allow a reasonably generous window. Always check the specific contract notice rather than assuming a standard length.
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