Source: https://tendernation.io/glossary/standstill-period Glossary # Standstill period A pause of at least eight working days after a contract award notice, during which the buyer cannot sign the contract and bidders can challenge. Updated 14 Oct 2026 The standstill period is a pause between a buyer announcing who it intends to award a contract to and actually signing the contract. It gives unsuccessful bidders time to review the decision and, if they believe the rules were broken, to challenge it before the contract is in place. ## What it means [Section 51 of the Procurement Act 2023](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/54/section/51) says a buyer may not enter into a public contract before the end of the mandatory standstill period. Section 51(2) sets it at eight working days, beginning with the day the [contract award notice](/glossary/contract-award-notice) is published. A working day excludes weekends and bank holidays in any part of the UK, under [section 123](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/54/section/123). Section 51(3) lists contracts where the mandatory standstill does not apply, including: - call-off contracts under a [framework](/glossary/framework) - contracts awarded by reference to a dynamic market - light touch contracts - direct awards for extreme and unavoidable urgency In those cases the buyer can choose a voluntary standstill period, which must be at least eight working days. ## Why it matters for SMEs Standstill is short. In eight working days you need to read your [assessment summary](/glossary/assessment-summary), compare your scores with the winner's, decide whether anything looks wrong and raise it. Under [section 101](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/54/section/101), if a supplier starts proceedings during standstill and the buyer is notified, the buyer cannot sign the contract unless the court lifts that restriction. Once standstill ends and the contract is signed, the remedies available are far more limited, which is why timing matters so much. ## Practical tip Plan for standstill before you submit. Know who in your business will review the outcome, and have a contact for procurement legal advice if a contract is important to you. When the award notice is published, work out the exact end date straight away; the [tender deadline calculator](/tools/tender-deadline-calculator) counts working days, including UK bank holidays. If something looks wrong, raise it with the buyer in writing quickly and clearly. 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)1036 - [Architecture, engineering & surveying](https://tendernation.io/sectors/architecture-engineering-surveying)477 - [IT services](https://tendernation.io/sectors/it-services)219 - [Business services](https://tendernation.io/sectors/business-services)564 - [Health and social work](https://tendernation.io/sectors/health-social-work)352 - [Sewage, refuse, cleaning & environmental](https://tendernation.io/sectors/sewage-refuse-cleaning-environmental)336 [All sectors ](/sectors) ## Nearby terms - [RReserved contracts (PPN 005)Competitions a buyer limits to certain kinds of supplier, such as local SMEs and VCSEs below threshold, or supported employment providers.](https://tendernation.io/glossary/reserved-contracts) - [SSelection questionnaire (SQ)A standard set of questions buyers use to check a supplier's eligibility, finances and capability before assessing its tender.](https://tendernation.io/glossary/selection-questionnaire) - [SSME and VCSESMEs are small and medium-sized enterprises; VCSEs are voluntary, community and social enterprises. Both get specific attention in UK procurement policy.](https://tendernation.io/glossary/sme-vcse) - [SSocial value (PPN 002)The wider economic, social and environmental benefits a supplier commits to deliver through a contract, scored as part of the tender.](https://tendernation.io/glossary/social-value) - [TTender noticeThe formal notice a buyer publishes to start a competitive procurement, inviting suppliers to tender or to ask to take part.](https://tendernation.io/glossary/tender-notice) - [UUnique identifier and share codeThe unique identifier is your organisation's code on the Central Digital Platform; a share code lets a buyer see your registered supplier information.](https://tendernation.io/glossary/unique-identifier-share-code) [Read our procurement guides ](/guides)