Public Procurement Challenges - Digging into the Detail

Introduction

This webinar will provide practical guidance for bringing and defending procurement challenges, including the latest changes introduced by the Procurement Act 2023.

Procurement disputes give rise to several issues that do not present in other proceedings.

In addition, due to the short limitation periods (most of which remain the same, or are shorter, under the Procurement Act 2023) and the need to enter into the awarded contract, proceedings are likely to continue to move rapidly, involve many interim court applications and require time commitment from both those involved in preparing and evaluating the bids.

Familiarity with what to expect will help manage the pressures involved.

What You Will Learn

This webinar will cover the following:

• The relevant legislation and principles applying to the conduct of procurements, where things typically go wrong and the broad categories of challenge
• Raising and responding to a procurement challenge - time constraints and practical considerations
• Starting legal proceedings:
• Where and how to start proceedings
• The technical requirements of the claim form and particulars of claim
• Obtaining the benefit of the automatic suspension on contract award and requirements for service of the claim form
• Application for an order for early disclosure of documents - the legal principles relating to early disclosure of documents and applicable case law
• Application to lift an automatic suspension and application for expedition
• Interested parties and confidentiality rings
• Beyond the early stages of proceedings:
• Timetable
• Pleadings
• Disclosure
• Witness Statements
• Settlement
• Trial

This pre-recorded webinar will be available to view from Friday 2nd October 2026

Alternatively, you can gain access to this webinar and 2,300+ others via the MBL Webinar Subscription. Please email webinarsubscription@mblseminars.com for more details.