Debrief

A formal feedback session offered by a contracting authority to an unsuccessful bidder, explaining why their tender was unsuccessful. Required under UK procurement regulations within set timeframes.

What a Debrief Is

A debrief is the process by which a contracting authority provides feedback to a supplier who has participated in a procurement exercise, explaining the relative strengths and weaknesses of their submission and the reasons for the outcome. Debriefs are most commonly requested by unsuccessful bidders but may also be offered to successful ones.

Legal Basis

Under the Procurement Act 2023 (which replaced the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 for most above-threshold procurements), contracting authorities are obliged to notify unsuccessful tenderers and provide a debrief upon request. Under the previous PCR 2015 regime, authorities were required to provide feedback within 15 days of a written request. The Procurement Act 2023 strengthens transparency obligations further, requiring contracting authorities to issue an Assessment Summary to all suppliers that submitted a tender, published alongside the contract award notice.

What a Debrief Should Cover

• The scores awarded against each evaluation criterion
• The reasons the supplier's bid did not succeed
• The characteristics and relative advantages of the winning bid (where this does not breach commercial confidentiality)
• Feedback on any mandatory or exclusion grounds that applied

Authorities are not required to disclose information that would harm legitimate commercial interests, prejudice fair competition, or conflict with any statutory duty.

Standstill Period

For above-threshold contracts, debriefs connect directly to the standstill (or Alcatel) period — a minimum 8-working-day pause between notifying the award decision and signing the contract. This window allows unsuccessful bidders to review debrief feedback and, if warranted, apply to the courts for an automatic suspension under the Public Contracts Regulations or the Procurement Act 2023.

Practical Value for Suppliers

A debrief is one of the most actionable pieces of intelligence a supplier can obtain. It reveals scoring gaps, identifies weaknesses in bid writing or pricing strategy, and can inform whether grounds exist for a formal challenge. Suppliers should request a debrief promptly and prepare specific questions in advance rather than relying solely on written feedback.

Obligations on Contracting Authorities

Authorities must conduct debriefs in good faith and with sufficient detail to be genuinely useful. Vague or generic responses risk legal challenge and undermine the transparency principles central to UK public procurement policy.