This is a complex area and depends on how you define a ‘pilot project’. Depending on value, the pilot itself could of course amount to a regulated public contract which needs to comply with the PCR 2015. Even if not, care will have to be taken to ensure that no unfair advantage is conferred on a supplier via their participation in the pilot in a subsequent procurement process as this could be construed as a potential conflict of interest and the authority will therefore need to give some consideration in respect of how it may be able to ‘level the playing field’ for suppliers who were not involved in the pilot.