Source: https://tendernation.io/glossary/contract-award-notice Glossary # Contract award notice A public notice that a buyer intends to enter into a contract with a named supplier, published before the contract is signed. Updated 14 Oct 2026 A contract award notice is the public announcement that a buyer intends to enter into a contract with a particular supplier. Under the Procurement Act 2023 it is published before the contract is signed, not after, and it normally starts the [standstill period](/glossary/standstill-period). ## What it means [Section 50(1) of the Procurement Act 2023](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/54/section/50) says a buyer must publish a contract award notice before entering into a public contract. Section 50(2) defines it as a notice setting out that the buyer intends to enter into the contract, plus information set by regulations. [Regulation 27 of the Procurement Regulations 2024](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2024/692/regulation/27/made) lists the details. Section 50(6) sets out a few exceptions. For contracts awarded after a competitive tendering procedure, section 50(3) requires the buyer to send [assessment summaries](/glossary/assessment-summary) to bidders before the award notice goes out. Under [section 51(2)](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/54/section/51), the mandatory standstill period is eight working days starting on the day the notice is published. The government's [frameworks guidance](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/procurement-act-2023-guidance-documents-define-phase/guidance-frameworks-html) notes that award notices are now also required for call-off contracts under frameworks, which was not the case under the old rules. ## Why it matters for SMEs If you bid, the award notice is your signal that the clock is running. If you did not bid, award notices are market intelligence: who is winning in your sector, which buyers are active and roughly what contracts are worth. Once the contract is signed, a [contract details notice](/glossary/contract-details-notice) follows. ## Practical tip Track award notices in your niche, not just tender notices. Over a few months they show which competitors keep winning with which buyers, and which buyers rarely change supplier. The [who won it](/tools/who-won-it) tool lets you search past awards by buyer or supplier. Find tenders that fit your business Search UK, EU and World Bank tenders in one place, get AI summaries and a fit score for each one, and track bids in a pipeline. Professional comes with a 14-day free trial, no card needed. [Browse live tenders](/opportunities)[Start free trial ](/register) 14-day free trial, no card required Browse by sector - [Construction work](https://tendernation.io/sectors/construction-work)7038 - [Architecture, engineering & surveying](https://tendernation.io/sectors/architecture-engineering-surveying)3970 - [IT services](https://tendernation.io/sectors/it-services)1751 - [Business services](https://tendernation.io/sectors/business-services)2483 - [Health and social work](https://tendernation.io/sectors/health-social-work)1055 - [Sewage, refuse, cleaning & environmental](https://tendernation.io/sectors/sewage-refuse-cleaning-environmental)3416 [All sectors ](/sectors) ## Nearby terms - [CClarification questionsQuestions a bidder sends the buyer during a tender to resolve ambiguity, with answers usually shared with every bidder.](https://tendernation.io/glossary/clarification-questions) - [CCompetitive flexible procedureA tendering procedure under the Procurement Act 2023 that the buyer designs itself, which can include shortlisting, negotiation and several rounds.](https://tendernation.io/glossary/competitive-flexible-procedure) - [CConflicts of interestA situation where someone involved in a procurement has an interest that could, or could appear to, affect a fair decision.](https://tendernation.io/glossary/conflicts-of-interest) - [CContract details noticeA notice a buyer publishes after signing a public contract, confirming the supplier, value, dates and other key details.](https://tendernation.io/glossary/contract-details-notice) - [CContracts FinderThe UK government website, launched in 2015, for lower-value contract opportunities and awards in England, now mainly for older procurements.](https://tendernation.io/glossary/contracts-finder) - [CCPV codeA Common Procurement Vocabulary code, a standard numeric label that describes the goods, services or works a public contract is for.](https://tendernation.io/glossary/cpv-code) [Read our procurement guides ](/guides)