By James Lopez, Bid Strategy Lead, Glaxtons Consulting
You cannot win work you never see. A surprising number of capable suppliers miss opportunities simply because they do not know where public sector tenders are published, or they rely on a single source and miss the rest. Finding the right opportunities early is the first, free step to a healthy pipeline.
This guide maps out where UK tenders are published, how the portals differ, and how to set things up so relevant opportunities reach you automatically. It is free and takes an afternoon to put in place.
Between them these two cover the bulk of formally advertised public sector work in England. Register on both, because they do not fully overlap.
Many buyers and sectors run their own eSourcing portals in addition to the national services. Health, defence, rail, and large local authorities frequently advertise or manage submissions through their own systems, and Crown Commercial Service runs its own eSourcing for framework opportunities.
Not all work is advertised as an open tender. A large share flows through frameworks and dynamic markets, where you first win a place and then compete for call-offs and mini-competitions. Getting onto the right frameworks means you see opportunities that never appear as open tenders, so map the frameworks that matter in your sector as part of your search.
The two national services are the Find a Tender Service (FTS) for higher-value opportunities and Contracts Finder for central government contracts over £12,000 and wider public sector contracts over £30,000. The devolved nations use Sell2Wales, Public Contracts Scotland, and Northern Ireland portals.
Find a Tender Service carries higher-value public sector opportunities above the relevant thresholds. Contracts Finder carries central government contracts over £12,000 and wider public sector contracts over £30,000, including many below-threshold opportunities. Register on both, as they do not fully overlap.
Set up keyword and CPV code alerts on Find a Tender and Contracts Finder, register interest on the buyer and sector portals relevant to you, and review the alerts on a fixed weekly rhythm so nothing is missed.
No. A large share of public sector work flows through frameworks and dynamic markets, where you win a place first and then compete for call-offs and mini-competitions. Being on the right frameworks means you see opportunities that never appear as open tenders.
Bid or No-Bid Decision
Decide which tenders to pursue
Government Frameworks
CCS and public sector frameworks explained
How to Win Government Contracts
The wider public sector playbook
First-Time Bidder Guide
Step-by-step guide for new bidders
What Is a Framework Agreement
How frameworks and call-offs work
Bid Health Check
Personalised diagnostic in 5 minutes
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