UK Tenders: How to Find Government Contracts on Find a Tender and Contracts Finder

This guide walks you through the two main UK tenders portals, explains the changes brought by the Procurement Act 2023, and shows you how to set up a workflow that ensures you never miss a relevant opportunity.

The Post-Brexit UK Procurement Landscape

Before Brexit, UK public procurement notices above certain financial thresholds were published in the Official Journal of the European Union (OJEU) and appeared on the Tenders Electronic Daily (TED) database. When the UK left the EU's single market on 1 January 2021, it needed its own system.

The result was Find a Tender Service (FTS), the UK's replacement for OJEU. Meanwhile, Contracts Finder, which had existed since 2011, continued handling lower-value opportunities.

Understanding which portal to use, and when, is the first step towards winning UK tenders.

Find a Tender Service (FTS): Above-Threshold Contracts

What It Covers

Find a Tender is the UK government's platform for publishing procurement notices that exceed the financial thresholds set out in UK procurement regulations. As of 2026, the key thresholds are approximately:

• GBP 139,688 for central government goods and services contracts
• GBP 213,477 for sub-central authority goods and services contracts
• GBP 5,372,609 for works contracts
• GBP 663,540 for social and other specific services

These thresholds are updated every two years and apply to the total estimated contract value over the full duration, including any extension options.

What You Will Find on FTS

Find a Tender publishes several types of notices:

• Prior Information Notices (PINs): Early signals that a contracting authority is planning a procurement. These do not always lead to a formal tender, but they give you time to prepare.
• Contract Notices: The formal invitation to participate in a procurement procedure. This is where you find live tender opportunities.
• Contract Award Notices: Published after a contract has been awarded. Useful for competitive intelligence, you can see who won, at what value, and for what scope.
• Dynamic Market Notices: A new notice type under the Procurement Act 2023, advertising ongoing opportunities through Dynamic Markets.

How to Search FTS

The search functionality on Find a Tender allows you to filter by:

• Keywords: Use terms specific to your industry. Be precise, a search for "cleaning" will return hundreds of results, while "office cleaning services London" narrows it down.
• CPV codes: The Common Procurement Vocabulary coding system is still used in UK procurement. Adding your relevant CPV codes to searches improves accuracy significantly.
• Location: Filter by region if you only operate in certain parts of the UK.
• Notice type: Focus on contract notices if you want live opportunities, or PINs if you want early intelligence.
• Publication date: Narrow results to recent publications to avoid wading through expired notices.

Setting Up Alerts on FTS

Find a Tender allows registered users to create email alerts based on saved search criteria. To set these up:

1. Create a free account on the Find a Tender website.
2. Run a search using your preferred filters.
3. Save the search and opt in to email notifications.
4. You will receive daily or weekly emails when new notices matching your criteria are published.

The built-in alerts are functional but basic. Many suppliers find they need to monitor multiple keyword and CPV code combinations, which can lead to alert fatigue or missed opportunities. This is where a tender intelligence platform like Bidovate adds value, aggregating results from FTS, Contracts Finder, and other sources into a single, AI-filtered feed.

Contracts Finder: Below-Threshold and Voluntary Publications

What It Covers

Contracts Finder is the UK government's portal for lower-value contract opportunities. Under current regulations, central government departments must publish contracts worth over GBP 12,000 on Contracts Finder, while sub-central authorities (local councils, NHS trusts, etc.) must publish contracts worth over GBP 30,000.

However, many organisations also voluntarily publish opportunities below these thresholds, making Contracts Finder a rich source of smaller contracts that are ideal for SMEs building a track record in public sector work.

Key Differences from Find a Tender

How to Search Contracts Finder

Contracts Finder's search is simpler than FTS. You can filter by:

• Keywords
• Location (by region or postcode radius)
• Sector (broad categories like construction, IT, healthcare)
• Contract type (goods, services, works)
• Published date range

One useful feature is the ability to view awarded contracts alongside open opportunities. Studying awarded contracts helps you understand typical contract values, common buyers in your sector, and the competitive landscape.

The Procurement Act 2023: What Has Changed

The Procurement Act 2023, which came into force in February 2025, represents the most significant overhaul of UK public procurement rules in decades. It replaces the EU-derived regulations that previously governed UK procurement with a single, simplified framework.

Key Changes Suppliers Need to Know

1. Single Regime

Previously, different regulations applied depending on whether the procurement was for utilities, defence, concessions, or general public contracts. The Procurement Act creates a single set of rules covering most public procurement (defence has some separate provisions).

2. New Competitive Procedures

The Act introduces a more flexible approach to procurement procedures. Rather than the rigid Open, Restricted, Competitive Dialogue, and Innovation Partnership procedures inherited from EU law, contracting authorities can now design their own competitive processes, provided they meet certain fairness requirements.

3. Dynamic Markets Replace Dynamic Purchasing Systems

The old Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS) has been replaced by Dynamic Markets. The concept is similar, an always-open arrangement that qualified suppliers can join at any time, but the new version is more flexible. Contracting authorities can divide Dynamic Markets into defined categories, and suppliers can apply to join specific categories rather than the entire arrangement. This makes them more targeted and practical for both buyers and suppliers.

4. Transparency and Central Digital Platform

The Act introduces a new central digital platform for publishing procurement notices. Over time, this is expected to consolidate the functions of both Find a Tender and Contracts Finder into a single system, though both platforms continue to operate during the transition period.

5. Supplier Exclusion and Debarment

A new debarment register allows the government to maintain a list of suppliers excluded from public contracts due to serious misconduct. On the positive side, the Act also strengthens protections for suppliers against unfair treatment.

6. MEAT Becomes MAT

The familiar Most Economically Advantageous Tender (MEAT) evaluation criterion is replaced by the Most Advantageous Tender (MAT). The practical difference is subtle but important: MAT allows contracting authorities to consider broader social value factors more explicitly in their evaluations.

How to Search Both Platforms Effectively

Winning UK tenders starts with a disciplined search strategy. Here is a practical approach:

Step 1: Identify Your CPV Codes

Before searching either platform, identify the CPV codes that match your products or services. Most suppliers need three to five codes to cover their offerings adequately. Write these down, you will use them repeatedly.

Step 2: Set Up Searches on Both Platforms

Register on both Find a Tender and Contracts Finder. On each:

• Create saved searches using your CPV codes and keywords.
• Set up email alerts for daily notifications.
• Bookmark the search URLs for quick manual checks.

Step 3: Check Adjacent Portals

Several additional platforms publish UK public sector opportunities:

• G-Cloud and the Digital Marketplace: If you provide cloud hosting, software, or IT support services, you should be listed on G-Cloud. Buyers use this framework to purchase technology services without running a full tender process.
• Sell2Wales, Public Contracts Scotland, eTendersNI: The devolved administrations in Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland maintain their own portals. If you can deliver across the UK, monitor these as well.
• Defence and Security Public Contracts (DSPC): MOD procurements have specific portals and requirements.

Step 4: Qualify and Automate

Not every tender is worth pursuing, quickly assess whether you can deliver the scope, meet minimum requirements, and whether the value justifies the bid effort. Then automate where possible. Many successful suppliers use tender aggregation tools to pull opportunities from dozens of sources into one dashboard with AI-powered relevance scoring. Bidovate aggregates from over 1,000 sources across the UK and Europe, so you spend your time on the bids most likely to succeed.

Cyber Essentials and Other Certification Requirements

An increasing number of UK government contracts require suppliers to hold Cyber Essentials certification. This is especially true for contracts that involve handling sensitive data or connecting to government networks.

What Is Cyber Essentials?

Cyber Essentials is a UK government-backed scheme that helps organisations protect themselves against common cyber threats. There are two levels:

• Cyber Essentials: A self-assessment questionnaire verified by an external body.
• Cyber Essentials Plus: Includes hands-on technical testing of your systems.

When Is It Required?

Since 2014, Cyber Essentials has been mandatory for central government contracts involving the handling of personal data or the provision of certain IT products and services. In practice, many contracting authorities now request it for a broader range of contracts.

If you regularly bid for UK government work, obtaining Cyber Essentials certification is a worthwhile investment. It demonstrates your commitment to information security and removes a common barrier at the Pre-Qualification Questionnaire (PQQ) stage.

G-Cloud and the Digital Marketplace

For technology suppliers, the Digital Marketplace is essential. G-Cloud is a framework agreement allowing public sector organisations to purchase cloud services without a full tender process. Apply during an open framework round, list your services with pricing, and buyers find you directly. G-Cloud contracts tend to be smaller individually but generate consistent, recurring revenue.

The Digital Marketplace also hosts the Digital Outcomes and Specialists (DOS) framework for digital projects, user research, and specialist roles.

Common Mistakes When Searching for UK Tenders

Even experienced suppliers make errors that cost them opportunities. Watch out for these:

1. Searching Only One Platform

Many suppliers only check Find a Tender or only check Contracts Finder. You need both, plus the devolved portals and framework marketplaces.

2. Using Keywords That Are Too Broad or Too Narrow

"Consulting" returns thousands of irrelevant results. "Bespoke integrated digital transformation consulting for NHS acute trusts in the South West" returns nothing. Find the middle ground and use CPV codes alongside keywords.

3. Ignoring Prior Information Notices

PINs give you early warning of upcoming procurements. This lead time is valuable, you can research the buyer, prepare documentation, and even engage in pre-market consultation if the authority offers it.

4. Not Tracking Awards

Contract award notices tell you who is winning work in your sector, at what price, and from which buyers. This intelligence shapes your bidding strategy and helps you identify patterns.

5. Missing Deadlines

Tender deadlines are strict. Missing a deadline by even one minute means your submission will not be considered. Set calendar reminders and aim to submit at least 24 hours early.

How Bidovate Simplifies UK Tender Discovery

Monitoring Find a Tender, Contracts Finder, G-Cloud, the devolved portals, and EU procurement through TED is a significant workload. Bidovate's AI-powered tender intelligence platform brings all these sources together, so you can:

• Search once across all UK and European portals: no more switching between websites.
• Receive AI-scored alerts: opportunities ranked by relevance to your business, not just keyword matches.
• Analyse tender documents instantly: Bidovate's AI reads procurement documents and extracts key requirements, deadlines, and evaluation criteria.
• Track competitors and awards: see who is winning contracts in your sector and adjust your strategy accordingly.

Starting from just EUR 299 per year, Bidovate offers a cost-effective way to professionalise your tender discovery process across 28 European countries and 1,000+ sources.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is the difference between Find a Tender and Contracts Finder?

Find a Tender publishes above-threshold UK procurement notices (the UK's replacement for OJEU after Brexit), while Contracts Finder publishes below-threshold opportunities. Together, they cover the full range of UK public sector procurement. Suppliers should monitor both platforms to maximise their visibility of available opportunities.

2. Are UK tenders open to companies based outside the UK?

Yes, in most cases. UK procurement rules generally do not restrict participation based on the country where a company is established. Suppliers from GPA (Government Procurement Agreement) signatory countries, which include all EU member states, have the same rights as UK-based suppliers for above-threshold procurements. However, some contracts may have practical requirements (such as security clearance or local presence) that limit participation.

3. What changed under the Procurement Act 2023?

The Procurement Act 2023 replaced the EU-derived procurement regulations with a single UK framework. Key changes include more flexible competitive procedures, the replacement of Dynamic Purchasing Systems with Dynamic Markets, a new debarment register, enhanced transparency requirements, and the shift from MEAT to MAT evaluation criteria. The Act came into force in February 2025.

4. Do I need Cyber Essentials to bid for UK government contracts?

Cyber Essentials is mandatory for central government contracts that involve handling personal data or providing certain IT products and services. It is increasingly requested for other types of contracts as well. While not universally required, obtaining Cyber Essentials certification strengthens your bid and removes a common qualification barrier.

5. Can Bidovate help me find UK tenders alongside European opportunities?

Absolutely. Bidovate aggregates procurement notices from UK portals (including Find a Tender, Contracts Finder, and devolved platforms) alongside European sources such as TED. This means you can search for opportunities across the UK and Europe from a single dashboard, with AI-powered relevance scoring to help you focus on the tenders that matter most to your business.