Tender Notice (UK)

Every above-threshold public procurement competition in the UK must start with an official public announcement. Under the Procurement Act 2023, that announcement takes the form of a tender notice published on Find a Tender, the UK's national procurement portal. The tender notice is the starting gun for a competition: it tells the market what is being bought, on what terms, and how to participate.

What is a tender notice?

A tender notice is the mandatory notice that a covered buyer must publish on Find a Tender before accepting tenders for an above-threshold contract. It replaces the "contract notice" terminology used under the old Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (which implemented the EU contract notice requirements under Directive 2014/24/EU).

The tender notice must include the contracting authority's identity, a description of the goods, services, or works required, the estimated contract value and duration, the procurement procedure being used (open procedure or competitive flexible procedure), the selection criteria that suppliers must meet to participate, the award criteria and their weightings, the deadline for submitting tenders or expressions of interest, and contact information for the procurement exercise.

The minimum tender period from publication of the tender notice to the deadline for receiving tenders is set by the Act and varies depending on the procedure used. Buyers who have previously published a planned procurement notice at least 40 days before the tender notice may use a shorter minimum period.

Why it matters for bidders

The tender notice is your primary source of intelligence about a live competition. Reading it carefully is the first step in any bid-no-bid decision. Key information to assess includes: the estimated value and whether it justifies your investment in a bid; the procedure type and how many stages are involved; the selection criteria to ensure you qualify to participate; the award criteria and their weightings to understand what the buyer values; and the submission deadline to plan your bid programme.

Setting up alerts on Find a Tender for keywords, CPV codes, or specific contracting authorities in your target sectors ensures you see tender notices as soon as they are published.

Example

A ministry publishes a tender notice on Find a Tender for digital transformation consultancy services. The notice specifies a competitive flexible procedure with an initial expressions of interest stage, estimated value of GBP 4 million, duration of three years, selection criteria including a minimum annual turnover of GBP 2 million and evidence of two similar past projects, and award criteria of 60% technical quality and 40% price. The deadline for expressions of interest is 30 days from publication.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is a tender notice the same as an ITT?

No. The tender notice is the public advertisement published on Find a Tender that opens the competition. The invitation to tender (ITT) is the more detailed document pack that the buyer sends to suppliers who have passed the selection stage, containing the full specification, terms and conditions, and scoring criteria. The tender notice points suppliers to where they can access the ITT.

What happens if a buyer changes the requirements after publishing the tender notice?

Material changes to the requirements, procedure, or criteria after publication must be communicated to all suppliers who have expressed interest and the deadline should be extended to give them adequate time to respond. Significant changes may require withdrawal of the notice and publication of a new one.

Can I see previous tender notices to understand what a buyer typically requires?

Yes. Tender notices published on Find a Tender are publicly accessible and searchable. Reviewing a buyer's previous notices for similar contracts gives valuable insight into their typical requirements, evaluation approach, and commercial terms.