The Cabinet Office has published updated guidance through Procurement Policy Note (PPN) 022: Procuring Steel in Government Contracts, setting out how central government departments should approach the procurement of steel in public contracts.

The updated guidance applies to all central government departments, executive agencies and non-departmental public bodies where steel is procured either directly or indirectly as part of goods, services or works contracts. It aligns procurement practices with the Procurement Act 2023 and places greater emphasis on considering whole-life value, sustainability, resilience of supply chains and national security when sourcing steel.

Among the changes, contracting authorities are encouraged to engage with UK Steel’s Digital Catalogue to better understand the capability of UK steel producers and are expected to collect and report data on the origin of steel used in qualifying projects.

For the construction supply chain, the updated PPN reinforces the importance of transparent procurement processes and early engagement with suppliers, while supporting the government’s wider industrial strategy to maximise opportunities for UK steel manufacturers in publicly funded projects.

The Procurement Policy Note (PPN) 022: Procuring Steel in Government Contracts can be accessed here.

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