Route Two of the Procurement Journey leads to the Government Commercial Function (GCF) Procurement Pathway.
The Procurement Pathway is the UK Government tool designed to guide Contracting Authorities through every stage of the commercial and procurement lifecycle. It supports procurement professionals and contract managers by providing structured and authoritative guidance aligned with UK procurement legislation and best practice.
The Procurement Pathway helps procurement officers plan, design, run, and manage procurements in a consistent, compliant way. It signposts users to the correct policies, templates, regulations, and commercial playbooks relevant to each stage of the process.
The Procurement Pathway is not a substitute for legal or professional advice; it ensures users understand the required steps and available resources.
The Procurement Pathway is organised into a four phase lifecycle, each representing a key stage of the procurement process:
Plan: Develop a strategy, understand the market, align objectives with policy, and establish commercial pipelines. Activities include shaping category strategies and defining governance and risk frameworks.
Define: Identify needs, refine procurement requirements, and set conditions that promote broad and fair competition.
Procure: Prepare and publish procurement documentation, assess supplier suitability, evaluate bids, and award contracts. Tools include selection guidance and references to relevant Procurement Policy Notes (PPNs).
Manage: Put in place a contract management plan, monitor performance, and ensure successful delivery and closure.
Each phase includes links to templates, PPNs, commercial playbooks, and guidance documents.
You are able to search the Procurement Pathway for regulations, templates, guidance or specific procurement topics.
Click the button below to enter the Procurement Pathway (you may need to accept the disclaimer to enter the tool).
The Procurement Pathway
