Regulatory and compliance

New public procurement thresholds for 2020

Published on 13th Feb 2020

The European Commission has published the updated thresholds that apply to new procurement procedures commencing on or after 1 January 2020 under the following legislation:

  • the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (Public Contracts Directive 2014/24/EU)
  • The Utilities Contracts 2016 (Utilities Directive 2014/25/EU)
  • The Concession Contracts Regulations 2016 (Concessions Directive 2014/23/EU)
  • The Defence and Security Public Contracts Regulations 2011 (Defence Contracts Directive (2009/81/EC)

This is a scheduled update that occurs every two years. The next threshold increase is expected at the beginning of 2022, although this might not be relevant to UK public contracts depending on what changes are made to public procurement law as a result of the Brexit deal. Save for the two figures marked with an asterisk, each threshold below has decreased in EUR, however the corresponding figures in GBP have increased due to the weakness in GBP. The figures marked with an asterisk remain the same in EUR but have increased in GBP, again due to the weakness in GBP.

The previous thresholds will continue to apply to any procurements that commenced (i.e. the contract notice or prior information notice was published on OJEU) before 1 January 2020.

Old and new thresholds

Public contracts

  Old threshold (1 January 2018 – 31 December 2019) New threshold (1 January 2020 onwards)
  EUR GBP equivalent EUR GBP equivalent

Central government only

Supply and service

Design contests

144,000 118,133 139,000 122,976

All other contracting authorities

Supply and service

Design contests

221,000 181,302 214,000 189,330
Works 5,548,000 4,551,413 5,350,000 4,733,252
Contracts for social and other specific services 750,000 615,278 750,000* 663,540*

Concession contracts

  Old threshold (1 January 2018 – 31 December 2019) New threshold (1 January 2020 onwards)
  EUR GBP equivalent EUR GBP equivalent
Works or services 5,548,000 4,551,413 5,350,000 4,733,252

Utilities contracts

  Old threshold (1 January 2018 – 31 December 2019) New threshold (1 January 2020 onwards)
  EUR GBP equivalent EUR GBP equivalent

Supply and service

Design contests

443,000 363,424 428,000 378,660
Works 5,548,000 4,551,413 5,350,000 4,733,252
Contracts for social and other specific services 1,000,000 820,370 1,000,000* 884,720*

Defence and security contracts

  Old threshold (1 January 2018 – 31 December 2019) New threshold (1 January 2020 onwards)
  EUR GBP equivalent EUR GBP equivalent
Supply and service 443,000 363,424 428,000 378,660
Works 5,548,000 4,551,413 5,350,000 4,733,252

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* This article is current as of the date of its publication and does not necessarily reflect the present state of the law or relevant regulation.

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