Ten keys to successful construction procurement: CPN 1/2026

Purpose

This Construction Policy Note (CPN) provides notification of new guidance which presents good construction procurement practice as a series of  ‘keys’ that can unlock improved project outcomes.

Key message

This has been developed to implement good practices in construction procurement and will improve the likelihood of successful project outcomes.

Target audience

This CPN provides guidance to assist public bodies, supporting the planning, procurement and management of construction projects.

It should also be of assistance to contractors and consultants alike in developing their understanding of how the public sector delivers construction projects. The principles within each ‘key’ are relevant for consideration whether ‘as a buyer’ you are a public sector organisation (selecting a delivery team, including a main contractor and consultants) or a main contractor (selecting a supply chain, which may include consultants).

They may also be of interest ‘as a bidder’ whether you are a main contractor, subcontractor or consultant (e.g. a project manager, an architect, a cost manager or an engineer).

Background

This guidance was developed through collaboration between Scottish Government, Scottish Futures Trust (SFT) and the Construction Leadership Forum (CLF) Transformation Action Plan (TAP) working groups - the Construction Procurement Working Group and the Construction Quality Improvement Collaborative (opens in a new window). The TAP working groups are associated with delivering the core elements of the Scottish Construction Accord and their membership has representatives from the Scottish public sector and the construction industry.

The ten keys to success

The ten keys to success focus on the procurement stage for delivering a construction project. This is the stage which involves the identification, selection and appointment of the organisations whose services are to be procured.

Use of the keys is relevant and applicable on projects of all scales, value and complexity, although adoption should be proportionate according to the needs of the project at hand.

Procurement routes can be tested against the keys to understand whether they can be implemented and therefore will help to develop an appropriate procurement strategy for the project.

Each of the keys can be used in new procurements and some are also relevant when buying from existing procurement arrangements such as from a framework.

The ten keys to success are:

1. Undertake pre-market consultation
2. Consider using the restricted procedure for major and/or complex construction projects
3. Improve clarity of the bidding process
4. Improve clarity of expectations
5. Improve clarity of project roles and responsibilities, and ensure competence
6. Include (and commit to provide) an appropriate level of all required resources for delivering the project
7. Embed principles of prompt payment
8. Limit the amendment of standard forms of contracts
9. Improve transparency of proposals, including appropriate method statements and behavioural expectations
10. Fair assessment of tender submissions

Note that the keys hold equal weight and the numbering is simply for presentational purposes.

Further details of the ten keys are available in Annex a, improving project outcomes through construction procurement , in the seperate PDF version of this CPN.

Ten keys to successful construction procurement: CPN 1/2026

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