Procurement Policy Note provides guidance on direct award, extension and modification of public contracts due to coronavirus (COVID-19)

Article summary

On 18 March 2020, the Cabinet Office issued Procurement Policy Note 01/20: Responding to COVID-19 (PPN 01/20). Though the exact response to COVID-19 will depend on the nature, scale and location of the threat in each case, the government has acknowledged that in the ‘exceptional circumstances’ of COVID-19, contracting authorities responding to the outbreak may need to procure goods, services and works with ‘extreme urgency’. On this basis, PPN 01/20 gives contracting authorities guidance on conducting a public procurement exercise without notice under regulation 32(2)(c) of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (PCR 2015), SI 2015/102, as well as guidance on alternatives including call-offs, permitted modifications and use of the light touch regime for health and social care services.