By
12th Jan 2016

New thresholds for the application of the various public procurement regimes come into force on 1 January 2016. For supply and service contracts awarded by education establishments the new threshold above which the public procurement regime will apply is €209,000, or £164,176, for public works contracts its €5,225,000 or £4,104,394.

The "light touch" threshold for public service contracts for social and other specific services has not been amended in Euros but the Commission‘s conversion into other currencies means that the value in £GBP drops (the threshold €750,000/£589,148, under the Public Contracts Regulations 2015).

Generally this means that you must normally advertise a contract above these values in the EU's Official Journal and follow the procedural rules set down in the Regulations unless you are using an existing compliant framework agreement.