Contract Performance Notices

What is a Contract Performance Notice?

Cabinet Office guidance explains that a Contract Performance Notice (CPN) – a new requirement – is the formal record of how a supplier is delivering against a public contract once it is live. Under section 71 of the Procurement Act 2023, contracting authorities must publish a CPN on the new central digital platform at least once every twelve months, on contract termination and within 30 days of any serious breach or failure to perform. For contracts worth over £5 million this includes a rating against the three key performance indicators judged most material at that point; for all contracts it captures any partial termination, damages or settlement arising from poor performance. The information will feed a national register that other buyers can consult when assessing future bids.

Why it matters for planning teams buying digital systems or consultancy

A clear, published track record of supplier delivery makes it easier to spot potential risks before the next procurement and to evidence value achieved on current projects. By selecting meaningful KPIs, such as turnaround time for planning applications, user satisfaction with the online portal or data accuracy, planners can link contract payments to real service outcomes and create a prompt for continuous improvement throughout the contract lifecycle.

Setting up to comply with the requirement

Putting it into practice means working with corporate procurement, finance and IT colleagues from the outset. For example, procurement staff will draft the CPN, but a planning team will be responsible for supplying the performance metrics, confirming reporting cycles and flagging any service failures that may trigger an interim notice.