UK5 transparency notices and direct awards
CouncilIQ·
In one sentence
A UK5 transparency notice is published before a public buyer directly awards a contract without a competitive tender. It names the supplier and explains which direct award justification the buyer is relying on.Why SMEs should care
Direct awards are not always "closed doors forever". UK5 notices show:- which buyers award without a competition, and how often;
- the stated reason (for example, only one supplier can do the work, or extreme urgency);
- who is getting the work, and the value when it is stated.
Live counts
| Metric | Count |
|---|---|
| Notices with a UK5 notice type (all time in CouncilIQ) | 505 |
| Direct or no-competition awards published in the last 30 days | 2,364 |
The 30-day figure combines UK5 notices with older-style procedure labels such as "Direct award", "Award procedure without prior publication of a call for competition" and "Below threshold - without competition" (as at 6 October 2026 at 15:38). Explore them in the direct awards tracker.
What a UK5 is for (plain English)
Under the Procurement Act 2023, a buyer that wants to award a contract directly (section 41 or 43) must normally publish a transparency notice first. The notice:- says the buyer intends to award the contract directly, and to whom;
- names the direct award justification it relies on;
- starts a standstill period in many cases, before the contract can be signed.
UK5 vs UK4 vs UK6
| Notice | What it means for suppliers |
|---|---|
| UK4 | Competition open: you can still bid |
| UK5 | Direct award planned: no open competition |
| UK6 | Contract awarded: who won |
Example UK5 notices
- Cabinet Office call-off extension: transparency notice · CouncilIQ page
- Payroll and HR Software Services · CouncilIQ page
- Mentoring Provision for Aspiring Pathways Students · CouncilIQ page
Explore on CouncilIQ
- Direct awards tracker: filter by time window and see the stated rationale
- Who won: named suppliers on each award notice
- Contracts ending soon: spot re-tender timing early
- Free tender alerts: catch the next UK4 in your sector before it becomes a UK5 or UK6 story
Official references
#procurement-act#uk5#direct-awards
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