Guides
Written for suppliers rather than buyers. How UK government tendering actually works, where the opportunities are published, and what makes a bid score. Free, no sign-up.
The basics
What Is a Tender? The UK Tendering Process Explained
What a tender is, what 'tendering' means, and how the UK public-sector tendering process works from advert to award — in plain English.
The basicsWhat Is Procurement? A Plain-English Guide for Businesses
What public procurement means, how UK government buying works, and how your business can win a share of it. A jargon-free introduction.
The basicsWhat Is a Framework Agreement (and How to Get on One)?
Framework agreements explained — what they are, how call-offs work, and how suppliers get appointed under the Procurement Act 2023.
Finding tenders
Contracts Finder vs Find a Tender: Which and When
The difference between Contracts Finder and Find a Tender, the contract value thresholds that decide which is used, and what changed under the Procurement Act 2023.
Finding tendersTendering Across the UK: Scotland, Wales & Northern Ireland
Public tendering works differently in each UK nation. Here's where to look — Find a Tender, Public Contracts Scotland, Sell2Wales and eTendersNI — and which rules apply.
Finding tendersWhat Is the Central Digital Platform? (The New Home for UK Tenders)
The Central Digital Platform and enhanced Find a Tender launched on 24 February 2025. Here's what it is and how suppliers register — for free.
Finding tendersContract Notices, PINs & Early Market Engagement
A guide to the procurement notice types under the Procurement Act 2023 — pipeline, planned procurement, preliminary market engagement, tender and award notices — and what happened to the old PIN.
Finding tendersCPV Codes Explained
What CPV (Common Procurement Vocabulary) codes are, how the numbering works, and how to use them to find the right public sector tenders.
Finding tendersHow to Use Find a Tender (FTS): A Step-by-Step Guide
A practical walkthrough of searching for and responding to opportunities on Find a Tender — registering on the Central Digital Platform, using share codes, and setting up alerts.
Finding tendersWhere to Find UK Tenders: Every Portal Compared
A plain-English comparison of the UK's public tender portals — Find a Tender, Contracts Finder, Public Contracts Scotland, Sell2Wales and eTendersNI — and how they fit together under the Procurement Act 2023.
Bidding
Are Government Tenders Worth It for Your Business?
An honest look at whether bidding for public sector contracts is worth the effort — the upsides, the real costs, and how to decide if tendering fits your business.
BiddingHow Bids Are Scored: Evaluation, MAT & Standstill
How public sector bids are evaluated under the Procurement Act 2023 — award criteria, the shift from MEAT to the Most Advantageous Tender (MAT), assessment summaries and the standstill period.
BiddingPQQ & the Standard Selection Questionnaire (SQ) Explained
What a PQQ is, how the Standard Selection Questionnaire (SQ) replaced it, and how the selection stage works when you bid for public contracts.
BiddingInvitation to Tender (ITT): What It Is and How to Respond
What an Invitation to Tender means, where it sits in the procurement process, and how the Procurement Act 2023 terminology — tender notices and associated documents — works.
BiddingHow to Win Government Contracts as a Small Business
A practical guide for SMEs on selling to the UK public sector — registering on the Central Digital Platform, finding the right opportunities, and the SME spend targets working in your favour.
BiddingWhat Is Social Value in Tenders (and How Is It Scored)?
Social value explained — what it means in public procurement, the Social Value Act 2012, and the minimum 10% weighting set by PPN 002.
BiddingHow to Write a Winning Tender Response
A practical guide to structuring a strong tender response — reading the award criteria, writing method statements, and answering exactly what the buyer asks.
Routes to market
G-Cloud & the Digital Marketplace Explained
How tech suppliers sell cloud services to the UK public sector through the G-Cloud framework and the Digital Marketplace — lots, how buying works, and how to get on.
Routes to marketDynamic Purchasing Systems (DPS) Explained
What a Dynamic Purchasing System is, how the Procurement Act 2023 replaced DPS with dynamic markets, and how they differ from frameworks.
Routes to marketCrown Commercial Service & CCS Frameworks
What Crown Commercial Service (now the Government Commercial Agency) is, how its frameworks work, and how suppliers get onto them.