Contracts Finder vs Find a Tender: what's the difference?

If you sell to the UK public sector, you'll have come across two government websites: Contracts Finder and the Find a Tender service (often shortened to FTS). The old rule of thumb was smaller contracts on one, bigger on the other. That changed when the Procurement Act 2023 came into force on 24 February 2025, and the procurement thresholds changed again on 1 January 2026.

Here's what each service does today, who publishes where, the current thresholds, and how not to miss UK public sector tenders that suit you.

The short answer

• Find a Tender is now the main place for UK public sector tenders. Under the Procurement Act 2023 it has been extended into the Central Digital Platform, and new procurements in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, above and below threshold, have their notices published there.
• Contracts Finder is the older service. The Procurement Act doesn't require anything to be published on it. It still carries notices for procurements that started under the old rules (the Public Contracts Regulations 2015) before 24 February 2025, plus years of historical tender and award data.

What is Contracts Finder?

Contracts Finder is a free GOV.UK service for searching information about government contracts worth over £12,000 including VAT. You can search opportunities and past contracts, and set up saved searches and email updates, with or without an account.

Under the Public Contracts Regulations 2015, central government bodies had to publish opportunities and awards there from £12,000 including VAT, and sub-central bodies, NHS trusts and NHS foundation trusts from £30,000 including VAT.

What is the Find a Tender service?

Find a Tender replaced the EU's Tenders Electronic Daily (TED) for high-value UK contracts on 1 January 2021. Since 24 February 2025 it has also been the Central Digital Platform, which the government describes as "the place where all the regulated public procurement notices are published". Notices are free to view. You can filter by notice type, location and whether a contract is marked as suitable for SMEs, and save searches so you get email alerts.

Who publishes on each?

Since 24 February 2025: for procurements under the Procurement Act 2023, contracting authorities publish their notices on Find a Tender (the Central Digital Platform). That covers above-threshold contracts and also "notifiable" below-threshold contracts:

• £12,000 or more including VAT for central government authorities, which now includes NHS trusts and NHS foundation trusts
• £30,000 or more including VAT for all other contracting authorities, such as councils (and devolved Welsh central government authorities)

A below-threshold tender notice has to go on the Central Digital Platform before the opportunity is advertised anywhere else. Buyers who only ask pre-selected suppliers for quotes don't have to publish one, but they still have to publish a contract details notice after award.

What still goes on Contracts Finder: the government's guidance says the Act "does not require publication of notices on Contracts Finder", and that there should be no ongoing need to publish new opportunity notices there after 25 February 2025. It still applies to procurements started under the old rules, such as:

• awards of contracts that were advertised before 24 February 2025
• call-offs from frameworks and dynamic purchasing systems set up under the old rules
• below-threshold contracts awarded under the old rules

Regulations made in 2026 will switch this remaining publication from Contracts Finder to the Central Digital Platform. The change was due on 1 October 2026 but has been pushed back to 1 May 2027.

Procurement thresholds from 1 January 2026

Thresholds are reviewed every two years to keep the UK in line with the World Trade Organization's Government Procurement Agreement. The figures below apply to procurements started on or after 1 January 2026 and run until 31 December 2027. Under the Procurement Act they include VAT.

Type of contract	Threshold (incl. VAT)
Goods and services: central government authorities	£135,018
Goods and services: sub-central authorities (e.g. councils)	£207,720
Works contracts (including utilities works and concessions)	£5,193,000
Utilities goods and services; defence and security goods and services	£415,440
Light touch contracts (general)	£663,540
Light touch utilities contracts	£884,720
Light touch concession contracts	£5,372,609

Contracts at or above these values follow the Act's full rules; lower-value contracts follow the lighter below-threshold rules in Part 6.

The previous figures were £139,688 (central government), £214,904 (sub-central) and £5,372,609 (works). You'll still see £139,688 quoted on some pages, including the GOV.UK start pages for both services at the time of writing, so check which figure applies.

What changed under the Procurement Act 2023?

One Central Digital Platform

Notices for regulated procurement now sit in one place instead of being split across two services. Buyers can still publish through their own e-procurement portals, but the notice has to reach the Central Digital Platform.

17 notice types (UK1 to UK17)

The old "F" forms (F01, F02, F03 and so on) have been replaced by 17 notices that run from planning to contract end. The ones suppliers will see most often are:

• UK1 pipeline notice: authorities that expect to spend more than £100 million in a financial year must publish one, covering planned contracts over £2 million. It's useful for spotting work early.
• UK2 preliminary market engagement notice: the buyer wants to talk to the market before it goes to tender.
• UK4 tender notice: the actual opportunity to bid, including below-threshold tenders.
• UK6 contract award notice: the award decision, which starts a standstill period of at least eight working days where one applies.
• UK7 contract details notice: published once the contract is signed.

The rest cover planned procurements (UK3), direct awards (UK5), payments (UK8), performance (UK9), changes (UK10), contract termination (UK11), procurement termination (UK12), dynamic markets (UK13 to UK16) and payment compliance (UK17).

Supplier registration

To bid for an above-threshold contract under the Act, you need to register on the Central Digital Platform. You also have to submit your "core supplier information" (basic details, financial standing, connected persons and exclusion grounds) and share it with the buyer through the platform, using a share code or a downloaded file. You sign in with GOV.UK One Login, and you'll need your Companies House number or an equivalent. The platform gives you a unique identifier if you don't have one.

Since 1 April 2026, buyers also have to confirm that a winning supplier on a notifiable below-threshold contract is registered on the platform, and get its unique identifier, before publishing the contract details notice. So even if you only go for smaller contracts, it's worth registering now.

Simpler rules for smaller contracts

For regulated below-threshold contracts, buyers can't use a separate suitability stage (like the old pre-qualification questionnaire) to shortlist suppliers before tenders come in. There are some exceptions, such as certain higher-value works contracts and some Welsh procurements. Buyers must also consider barriers SMEs face before inviting tenders.

Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland

• Scotland: devolved Scottish authorities, such as the Scottish Government, health boards, councils and universities, are generally outside the Procurement Act 2023. They still follow Scottish legislation, including the Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2015, and advertise on Public Contracts Scotland.
• Wales: Welsh devolved authorities follow the Act and the Procurement (Wales) Regulations 2024. They submit notices through Sell2Wales, which passes them on to the Central Digital Platform.
• Northern Ireland: the Act applies, but below-threshold contracts let by Northern Ireland authorities are outside the Act's below-threshold rules. Opportunities are published on eTendersNI and eSourcing NI.

Practical tips for monitoring both

1. Make Find a Tender your main source for new opportunities in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and set up saved searches with email alerts.
2. Keep an eye on Contracts Finder if you supply through older frameworks or dynamic purchasing systems, because call-offs under the old rules may still show up there until the May 2027 switch.
3. Use the historical data. Past awards show who buys what, at what value, and who wins.
4. Watch UK1, UK2 and UK3 notices to hear about tenders early.
5. Add the devolved portals (Public Contracts Scotland, Sell2Wales, eTendersNI) if you work across the UK.
6. Register on the Central Digital Platform and keep your core supplier information up to date, so you aren't rushing before a deadline.
7. Check which threshold applies. It depends on the buyer, the contract type and when the procurement started.

How Oppt searches both

Tracking two national services, regional portals and years of award history takes time. Oppt uses UK government tender and award data from Contracts Finder and Find a Tender to give suppliers tailored bid suggestions, win probability scoring and market insights. It also includes AI bid drafting, so you can move from "this looks relevant" to a first draft faster. Oppt Pro costs £59.99 a month after a 14-day free trial. Whatever tools you use, always read the full notice and tender documents on the official service before you bid.

Frequently asked questions

Is Contracts Finder being replaced by Find a Tender?

For new procurements, mostly yes. Since 24 February 2025, Procurement Act notices, including below-threshold ones, go on Find a Tender (the Central Digital Platform), not Contracts Finder. Contracts Finder still carries notices for procurements started under the old rules, and that remaining publication is due to move to the Central Digital Platform from 1 May 2027.

What is the Find a Tender service?

It's the UK government's free service for publishing and searching public procurement notices. It replaced the EU's TED for UK high-value contracts on 1 January 2021 and, since 24 February 2025, has been the Central Digital Platform for notices under the Procurement Act 2023.

What are the UK procurement thresholds in 2026?

From 1 January 2026, including VAT: £135,018 for goods and services bought by central government, £207,720 for sub-central authorities, £5,193,000 for works, and £663,540 for most light touch contracts. They apply to procurements started on or after that date.

Do procurement thresholds include VAT?

Yes. Under the Procurement Act 2023, contract values are estimated including VAT. The below-threshold publishing levels of £12,000 and £30,000 also include VAT.

Do I need to register on the Central Digital Platform to bid?

For above-threshold contracts under the Act, yes. You have to register, submit your core supplier information and share it with the buyer through the platform. Since 1 April 2026, winners of notifiable below-threshold contracts also have to be registered and give the buyer their unique identifier.

Are Scottish tenders on Find a Tender?

Devolved Scottish authorities are generally outside the Procurement Act 2023 and advertise on Public Contracts Scotland. Some cross-border arrangements, such as joint procurements led by a UK, Welsh or Northern Ireland authority, are covered by the Act.

Sources

All checked on 20 October 2026.

1. GOV.UK, Contracts Finder: https://www.gov.uk/contracts-finder
2. GOV.UK, Find high value contracts in the public sector (Find a Tender): https://www.gov.uk/find-tender
3. Cabinet Office, PPN 023: 2026 Threshold Amounts: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/ppn-023-2026-threshold-amounts/ppn-023-2026-threshold-amounts-html
4. Cabinet Office, Guidance: Thresholds (updated 13 July 2026): https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/procurement-act-2023-guidance-documents-define-phase/guidance-thresholds-html
5. The Procurement Act 2023 (Threshold Amounts) (Amendment) Regulations 2025 (S.I. 2025/1200): https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2025/1200/pdfs/uksi_20251200_en.pdf
6. Cabinet Office, PPN 11/23 New Thresholds (previous 2024 figures): https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/ppn-1123-new-thresholds/procurement-policy-note-1123-new-thresholds-html
7. Cabinet Office, Guidance: Below-Threshold Contracts (updated 13 July 2026): https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/procurement-act-2023-guidance-documents-define-phase/guidance-below-threshold-contracts-html
8. Procurement Act 2023, section 87: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/54/section/87
9. Cabinet Office, PPN 019 guidance on publishing on Contracts Finder: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/ppn-019-requirements-to-publish-on-contracts-finder/guidance-on-the-transparency-requirements-for-publishing-on-contracts-finder
10. The Procurement (Amendment) Regulations 2026 (S.I. 2026/360): https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2026/360/made
11. The Procurement (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 2026 (S.I. 2026/746): https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2026/746/made
12. Find a Tender, Notice types and sequences: https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Home/NoticeTypes
13. GOV.UK, Procurement Act 2023 e-learning, Module 2: Transparency: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-official-procurement-act-2023-e-learning/module-2-transparency
14. GOV.UK, How to use the Central Digital Platform, the enhanced Find a Tender service: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/procurement-act-2023-short-guides/buyers-and-suppliers-how-to-use-the-central-digital-platform-the-enhanced-find-a-tender-service-html
15. The Procurement Regulations 2024, regulation 6 (core supplier information): https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2024/692/regulation/6
16. Cabinet Office, Guidance: Central Digital Platform and Publication of Information: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/procurement-act-2023-guidance-documents-procure-phase/guidance-central-digital-platform-and-publication-of-information-html
17. GOV.UK, How to register your organisation and find your unique identifier: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/procurement-act-2023-short-guides/how-to-register-your-organisation-and-find-your-unique-identifier-a-guide-for-suppliers-html
18. Cabinet Office, Guidance: Devolved Contracting Authorities: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/procurement-act-2023-guidance-documents-plan-phase/guidance-devolved-contracting-authorities-html
19. Scottish Government, SPPN 5/2026 Cross-border co-operation within the UK: https://www.gov.scot/publications/public-procurement-cross-border-co-operation-within-the-uk-sppn-5-2026/
20. The Procurement (Wales) Regulations 2024, regulation 5 and Explanatory Note: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/wsi/2024/782/regulation/5/made and https://www.legislation.gov.uk/wsi/2024/782/note