Light Touch Regime

Simplified procurement rules under the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 for health, social, education and certain other services, with higher thresholds and reduced procedural requirements.

How it works

The Light Touch Regime applies to specific categories of services listed in Schedule 3 of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015, including health services, social services, education services, and certain legal services. These contracts have a higher EU threshold of £663,540 (as of 2021) compared to the standard services threshold of £213,477.

Under this regime, contracting authorities have significantly more flexibility in designing procurement procedures. They must only comply with the fundamental Treaty principles of transparency, equal treatment, proportionality and mutual recognition, rather than following prescribed procedures like open or restricted tendering.

The key requirements are publishing a contract notice in Find a Tender, allowing sufficient time for expressions of interest, and ensuring the procedure is transparent and treats suppliers equally. Authorities can design bespoke selection and award criteria suited to the specific service requirements.

Why it matters

The Light Touch Regime recognises that health, social and education services often require different procurement approaches due to their personal nature, local delivery requirements, or the need for innovation. Standard procurement procedures may be too rigid for these services where relationship-building, service user involvement, and local knowledge are crucial.

This flexibility enables authorities to consider factors like service quality, local integration, and provider experience more comprehensively. However, authorities must still demonstrate value for money and maintain audit trails showing fair and transparent processes.

The regime reduces bureaucracy whilst maintaining competition, making it particularly valuable for complex care services or educational programmes where the cheapest option may not deliver the best outcomes for service users.