Definition
Transparency Notice
A notice explaining a buyer's intention to award directly without competition.
A transparency notice is a general term for the various notices UK public buyers must publish to keep the market informed, including contract award notices, contract details notices, and modification notices, particularly reinforced under the Procurement Act 2023's expanded publication duties covering the full contract lifecycle.
Types of transparency notice
Beyond the tender notice itself, buyers are expected to publish notices at award (who won, at what value), during the contract (significant modifications, extensions, or performance issues in some cases), and at completion or termination. This is intended to make public spending more visible and to support later scrutiny.
The Procurement Act 2023 significantly expands these obligations compared with PCR 2015, including new requirements around publishing pipeline notices in advance of procurements, and detail on contract performance for higher-value contracts.
- Contract award notices confirming the winning supplier and value
- Contract details or contract award notices with fuller information
- Modification notices for significant changes during the contract term
- Pipeline notices signalling upcoming procurement opportunities
- Termination or completion notices in some cases
How suppliers can use transparency notices
Monitoring award and modification notices for your sector is a useful market intelligence exercise: it shows who is winning what, at what price point, and how existing contracts are being extended or changed, which can inform your own bid strategy and pricing.
Frequently asked questions
- Where can I find UK public contract award notices?
- Award and related transparency notices for above-threshold contracts are published on Find a Tender, with many below-threshold notices on Contracts Finder or individual buyer portals. Checking these regularly helps track market activity and competitor win rates.
- Do transparency notices show the contract value?
- Generally yes, award and contract details notices are expected to state the contract value and the winning supplier, supporting public scrutiny of spending, though the level of detail can vary by notice type and contract.
- Are contract modifications published too?
- Increasingly yes. Significant modifications, particularly under the Procurement Act 2023's expanded transparency requirements, are expected to be published via modification notices, making it easier to track how contract values and scope change after award.
Related terms