Contract Change Notice

A formal document issued by a contracting authority to record and authorise a change to an existing public contract, capturing the nature, scope, cost, and approval of the amendment.

What it is

A Contract Change Notice (CCN) is the formal instrument used to record, approve, and implement a variation to a live public contract. It creates an auditable paper trail from the initial request for a change through to its authorisation and incorporation into the contract baseline. Without a CCN, changes can be disputed, uncosted, or legally vulnerable.

What a CCN typically contains

• A unique reference number and the date of issue
• Identification of the original contract (reference, parties, start and end dates)
• A clear description of the change being requested — scope, deliverables, timescales
• Commercial impact: any adjustment to price, payment milestones, or budget authority
• Risk assessment of the change and any effect on contract KPIs or SLAs
• Signatures from authorised representatives on both the buyer and supplier sides

Legal and regulatory context

Under the Procurement Act 2023 (which replaced the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 for most above-threshold contracts), modifications to existing contracts are tightly controlled. Material changes — broadly, those that alter the economic balance in favour of the supplier, extend scope substantially, or would have attracted different bidders — may constitute a new procurement if not covered by a recognised modification ground (Schedule 8 of the Act). A CCN must therefore reference the legal basis under which the change is permitted, whether that is a contract modification clause, a below-threshold adjustment, or an unforeseen circumstance provision.

For contracts above the relevant thresholds, authorities must publish a Contract Change Notice on the Find a Tender Service (FTS) or, from October 2024, on the new central digital platform, within 30 days of making a qualifying modification.

Why it matters

Poorly managed contract changes are a persistent finding in audits by the National Audit Office and Cabinet Office spend reviews. Undocumented changes expose the authority to disputes over scope, additional cost, or supplier under-performance. A CCN:

• Provides the authority with a defensible audit trail
• Ensures budget holders formally approve cost variations
• Prevents scope creep becoming normalised
• Supports transparency obligations under the Procurement Act 2023

Internal governance

Most contracting authorities require a CCN to pass through a change control board or senior responsible owner before signature. Thresholds for escalation (e.g. changes above £50,000 requiring Director sign-off) should be set out in the authority's contract management framework.