Government procurement
The Government Procurement Chapter consists of (a) the text of the Chapter setting out the government procurement obligations and (b) the Schedules in an Annex to the Chapter, which set out the procurement market access coverage of each of the Parties. The text sets out rules for fair, transparent and non-discriminatory conditions of competition in government procurement. These rules do not automatically apply to all procurement activities of each Party. Rather, the Schedules determine which entities and procurements are covered by the scope of the Chapter and must follow the rules. Only government procurement activities by covered entities purchasing covered goods, services or construction services, of a value exceeding the specified thresholds, are within the scope of the CPTPP.
	To implement the Chapter, the Act amends the UK’s government procurement legislative framework in two ways. Firstly, to give effect to the UK’s market access commitments to CPTPP suppliers. Secondly, and where applicable, the Act brings that framework into compliance with two technical rules of the Government Procurement Chapter. Those rules concern: (i) an exemption from the CPTPP rules for procurements organised and funded by international organisations, pursuant to Article 15.2.3(e)(ii) of the Chapter; and (ii) the information to be published following the award of a contract, pursuant to Article 15.16.3(d) of the Chapter. At Royal Assent of this Act, the UK’s procurement legislative framework is set out in regulations. For England, Wales and Northern Ireland, those regulations will be replaced by the Procurement Act 2023 from substantive commencement of that Act, expected October 2024. For Scotland, the relevant regulations will endure. Accordingly, this Act amends both the regulations and the Procurement Act 2023.