(1)This section applies in relation to any contracting authority that considers that, in the coming financial year, it will pay more than £100 million under relevant contracts.
(2)A contracting authority must publish a pipeline notice before the end of the period of 56 days beginning with the first day of the financial year referred to in subsection (1).
(3)A “pipeline notice” means a notice setting out specified information about any public contract with an estimated value of more than £2 million in respect of which the contracting authority intends to publish a tender notice or transparency notice during the reporting period.
(4)In this section—
“financial year” means—
the period of twelve months beginning with the 1 April following the day on which this section comes into force, and
each successive period of 12 months;
“relevant contracts” means any contracts for the supply of goods, services or works to the contracting authority other than exempted contracts;
“reporting period” means the period of 18 months beginning with the first day of the financial year referred to in subsection (1);
“specified information” means information specified in regulations under section 95.
(5)A Minister of the Crown or the Welsh Ministers may by regulations amend this section for the purpose of changing the financial thresholds.
(6)This section does not apply to—
(a)private utilities, or
(b)a transferred Northern Ireland authority.