Debarment Review Service DRS
The Debarment Review Service (DRS) began operating on February 24, 2025, it was set-up as part of the Procurement Review Unit (PRU), alongside the introduction the Procurement Act 2023 which came into force on the same day. The purpose of the service is to protect public procurement from suppliers that pose risk, by carrying out a centralised process of considering suppliers for possible debarment. The PRU consists of three services:
- Debarment Review Service (DRS): as described above.
- Public Procurement Review Service (PPRS): Introduced in 2011 and focuses on suppliers’ complaints about specific procurement(s) and late payments.
- Procurement Compliance Service (PCS): This service investigates contracting authorities’ compliance with the requirements of the Procurement Act 2023 and may issue (and if desired, publish) statutory recommendations to the contracting authority being investigated and/or guidance that applies more generally to contracting authorities following the conclusion of an investigation.
The Act enables the DRS to undertake investigations of suppliers (on behalf of a Minister of the Crown) to establish whether they are an excluded or excludable* supplier for the purpose of subsequently considering whether the supplier should be added to the debarment list. The decision to add a supplier to the debarment list can only be taken by a Minister of the Crown.
The DRS may investigate suppliers in relation to all exclusion grounds, except the two national security-related exclusion grounds (para 35 of Schedule 6 and para 14 of Schedule 7). The National Security Unit for Procurement (NSUP) has the remit of investigating suppliers in relation to the two national security-related grounds.
For further information see the Government guidance on the Procurement Review Unit here.
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings
- Best value procurement.
- Common minimum standards.
- Critical service contracts.
- Critical suppliers.
- Crown Commercial Service CCS.
- Crown Representative.
- Dynamic purchasing system under the Single Procurement Document (Scotland).
- Exclusion grounds under the Single Procurement Document (Scotland).
- Fair payment practices.
- Green public procurement.
- Infrastructure and Projects Authority.
- Integrated Supply Team.
- Management Consultancy Framework MCF.
- Managing the procurement process.
- Major Projects Authority.
- Most Economically Advantageous Tender (MEAT).
- National Infrastructure Plan.
- Output-based specification.
- Procurement Act 2023.
- Procurement Compliance Service PCS.
- Procurement Policy Note 12/15.
- Procurement policy note PPN.
- Procurement route.
- Public.
- Public body.
- Public contract.
- Public procurement.
- Public Procurement Review Service PPRS.
- Public project definition.
- Public sector dependent suppliers.
- Publicly subsidised project.
- Restricted procedure under the Single Procurement Document (Scotland).
- SMEs and government contracts.
- Sourcing playbook.
Featured articles and news
Retrofit 25 – What's Stopping Us?
Exhibition Opens at The Building Centre.
Types of work to existing buildings
A simple circular economy wiki breakdown with further links.
A threat to the creativity that makes London special.
How can digital twins boost profitability within construction?
The smart construction dashboard, as-built data and site changes forming an accurate digital twin.
Unlocking surplus public defence land and more to speed up the delivery of housing.
The Planning and Infrastructure Bill
An outline of the bill with a mix of reactions on potential impacts from IHBC, CIEEM, CIC, ACE and EIC.
Farnborough College Unveils its Half-house for Sustainable Construction Training.
Spring Statement 2025 with reactions from industry
Confirming previously announced funding, and welfare changes amid adjusted growth forecast.
Scottish Government responds to Grenfell report
As fund for unsafe cladding assessments is launched.
CLC and BSR process map for HRB approvals
One of the initial outputs of their weekly BSR meetings.
Architects Academy at an insulation manufacturing facility
Programme of technical engagement for aspiring designers.
Building Safety Levy technical consultation response
Details of the planned levy now due in 2026.
Great British Energy install solar on school and NHS sites
200 schools and 200 NHS sites to get solar systems, as first project of the newly formed government initiative.
600 million for 60,000 more skilled construction workers
Announced by Treasury ahead of the Spring Statement.
The restoration of the novelist’s birthplace in Eastwood.
Life Critical Fire Safety External Wall System LCFS EWS
Breaking down what is meant by this now often used term.
PAC report on the Remediation of Dangerous Cladding
Recommendations on workforce, transparency, support, insurance, funding, fraud and mismanagement.
New towns, expanded settlements and housing delivery
Modular inquiry asks if new towns and expanded settlements are an effective means of delivering housing.