Source: https://tendernation.io/glossary/exclusion-grounds-debarment-list Glossary # Exclusion grounds and the debarment list The legal reasons a supplier can or must be barred from public contracts, and the central list of suppliers that Ministers have debarred. Updated 14 Oct 2026 Exclusion grounds are the legal reasons a buyer can or must bar a supplier from a public procurement, such as fraud, bribery, serious tax offences or past poor performance. The debarment list is a central, published list of suppliers that a Minister has found to be excluded or excludable. ## What it means The Procurement Act 2023 splits exclusion grounds into two groups: - **Mandatory grounds**, in [Schedule 6](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/54/schedule/6). If one applies and the circumstances are continuing or likely to occur again, the supplier is an "excluded supplier". - **Discretionary grounds**, in [Schedule 7](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/54/schedule/7). If one applies on the same test, the supplier is "excludable" and the buyer may choose to exclude it. These definitions are in [section 57](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/54/section/57). The grounds can also apply because of an "associated person", such as a supplier you rely on to meet the conditions of participation. Under [section 26](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/54/section/26), buyers must disregard tenders from excluded suppliers and may disregard tenders from excludable ones. [Section 62](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/54/section/62) lets a Minister add a supplier to the debarment list after an investigation. The government's [debarment guidance](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/procurement-act-2023-guidance-documents-procure-phase/guidance-debarment-html) says a supplier will usually stay on the list for up to five years. ## Why it matters for SMEs Very few SMEs are anywhere near an exclusion ground, but you will be asked to declare against them in every bid. The Act also focuses on whether a problem is likely to happen again, so evidence of "self-cleaning", such as changing staff, processes or controls after an incident, can keep you in the competition. ## Practical tip Answer exclusion questions carefully and completely; misleading information is itself a problem under the Act. If something in your history might be relevant, disclose it with a short explanation of what you have changed. Also check your subcontractors and partners, since their issues can affect your bid. Your [Central Digital Platform](/glossary/central-digital-platform) profile holds your exclusion information, so keep it current. See also [conflicts of interest](/glossary/conflicts-of-interest). 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)6975 - [Architecture, engineering & surveying](https://tendernation.io/sectors/architecture-engineering-surveying)3933 - [IT services](https://tendernation.io/sectors/it-services)1732 - [Business services](https://tendernation.io/sectors/business-services)2464 - [Health and social work](https://tendernation.io/sectors/health-social-work)1050 - [Sewage, refuse, cleaning & environmental](https://tendernation.io/sectors/sewage-refuse-cleaning-environmental)3367 [All sectors ](/sectors) ## Nearby terms - [DDynamic purchasing system (DPS)An electronic, always-open list of qualified suppliers under the Public Contracts Regulations 2015, replaced by dynamic markets for new procurements.](https://tendernation.io/glossary/dynamic-purchasing-system) - [EESPD (European Single Procurement Document)The EU's standard self-declaration form for public tenders, which UK buyers replaced with their own selection questionnaire after leaving the EU.](https://tendernation.io/glossary/espd) - [EEvaluation weightingThe share of the total score given to each award criterion, showing bidders which parts of their tender matter most.](https://tendernation.io/glossary/evaluation-weighting) - [FFind a TenderThe UK government's procurement notice service, which hosts the Central Digital Platform for notices and supplier registration under the Procurement Act 2023.](https://tendernation.io/glossary/find-a-tender) - [FFrameworkAn agreement between a buyer and one or more suppliers that sets the terms for awarding future contracts, without committing to any spend.](https://tendernation.io/glossary/framework) - [IIncumbent supplierThe supplier currently delivering a contract, usually bidding to keep it when the buyer runs a new procurement.](https://tendernation.io/glossary/incumbent-supplier) [Read our procurement guides ](/guides)