Open procedure
The open procedure lets any supplier tender in a single stage. How it runs under the Procurement Act 2023, the 2026 thresholds, timings and advice for SMEs.
Updated on September 5, 2026
The open procedure is the form of competitive tendering in which any interested supplier may submit a tender, with no prior shortlisting. Capability evidence and the tender itself are submitted together, in a single stage, and the buyer awards to the most advantageous tender without negotiating.
How it works
The open procedure is one of only two award routes for above-threshold contracts under the Procurement Act 2023, the other being the competitive flexible procedure. It applies once the estimated value reaches the Schedule 1 thresholds, which changed on 1 January 2026: £135,018 for central government goods and services, £207,720 for other contracting authorities, £415,440 for utilities and £5,193,000 for works, all figures including VAT (verified 2026-09-05, PPN 023 and SI 2025/1200). A buyer may also choose to run an open procedure below those values.
The sequence is linear. The authority publishes a tender notice on the central digital platform, hosted at Find a Tender, with the tender documents available from the same place or from its e-tendering portal. Suppliers have the tendering period stated in the notice, which the Act requires to be sufficient and which is measured in weeks rather than days, to submit a complete response: the conditions of participation evidence, the price and the quality submission. The authority checks participation, rejects non-compliant tenders, scores the rest against the published award criteria, publishes an assessment summary to every tenderer and then a contract award notice, and observes the standstill period before signing. In Ireland and Scotland the open procedure works the same way under their own regulations, with the EU thresholds of €140,000, €216,000 and €5,404,000 excluding VAT.
What it means for a bidder
The open procedure is the most accessible route: no pre-selection, no incumbency filter, the same information for everyone. It is also the least forgiving on process. Everything is decided at submission, and there is no second chance.
Check the submission deadline the moment you read the notice, and plan to upload the day before; e-tendering portals enforce the cut-off to the second and will not accept a late file. Use the clarification window to resolve any ambiguity in the specification, because answers are published to all bidders. And price accurately first time: the figure cannot move afterwards.
Example
An NHS trust runs an open procedure for a laundry contract worth about £430,000 including VAT over three years, above the sub-central threshold. Three suppliers tender. A regional laundry with twenty employees wins: its price is slightly higher than the national operator's, but its quality response on linen traceability earns it more points.
Frequently asked questions
How does this differ from a multi-stage procedure?
In a multi-stage competitive flexible procedure the buyer shortlists suppliers first, and only those shortlisted tender. The open procedure is one stage, open to all.
Can the buyer discuss my tender with me?
It can seek clarification of something already in your tender. It cannot let you change your price or your offer.
Can a small firm win an open procedure?
Yes, particularly where the contract is divided into lots and quality carries real weight. The quality of the response matters more than the size of the bidder.