Contracts Finder UK Tenders | Open Opportunities

What is Contracts Finder?

Contracts Finder is the UK government's free portal for public sector contract opportunities. It's where central government departments and many public bodies in England publish procurement notices, particularly for contracts below the thresholds that require publication on Find a Tender.

Launched in 2011 and significantly upgraded in 2015, Contracts Finder is operated by the Cabinet Office. It's the go-to source for lower-value UK government opportunities and serves as a transparency tool for above-threshold contracts too.

Who runs it?

The Cabinet Office operates Contracts Finder as part of the Crown Commercial Service infrastructure. It's designed primarily for the England market, though some Wales and Northern Ireland bodies also publish here.

Scotland operates Public Contracts Scotland as its primary portal. Wales has Sell2Wales. For comprehensive UK coverage, you need to monitor all of these.

What contracts are published?

Contracts Finder has two main content streams:

Mandatory publication (central government):

All contracts over £12,000 (or £30,000 for sub-central authorities under new Procurement Act rules)
Contract award notices
Pipeline notices (planned future procurement)

Voluntary publication:

Lower-value opportunities from various public bodies
Sub-contract opportunities from prime contractors
Framework call-offs

The mix means you'll find everything from multi-million pound IT contracts to small local projects.

Contracts Finder vs Find a Tender

Contracts Finder: Lower thresholds, broader coverage, England-focused
Find a Tender: Above regulated thresholds only, UK-wide scope

Above-threshold contracts typically appear on both. For complete coverage, monitor both sources.

Strengths

Lower-value access: Opportunities that don't appear on FTS
Pipeline visibility: Some buyers publish planned procurements
Free: No cost to search or register
Award data: Published contract awards help competitive intelligence
Sub-contracting: Prime contractors sometimes post sub-contract needs

Limitations

England-centric: Limited coverage of devolved nations
Inconsistent posting: Not all eligible contracts get posted
Variable quality: Notice detail varies significantly by buyer
No submission: Publication only; bidding is external
Basic search: Native filtering is limited

The Procurement Act 2023

The UK's new Procurement Act (expected to take effect in 2024-25) will change publication requirements. A new central digital platform will eventually consolidate UK procurement publication. Until then, Contracts Finder remains essential for England-based opportunities.

Our coverage

We monitor Contracts Finder alongside Find a Tender, the devolved nation portals, and hundreds of other UK sources. One search covers the full UK public procurement landscape.

Start your free trial for comprehensive UK tender alerts.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Contracts Finder free?

Yes, completely free to search and use.

What's the minimum contract value on Contracts Finder?

Central government must publish contracts over £12,000. Sub-central authorities have higher thresholds. There's no technical minimum, so smaller opportunities sometimes appear.

Does Contracts Finder cover Scotland?

Rarely. Scottish public bodies primarily use Public Contracts Scotland. For Scottish opportunities, monitor that portal directly or use our service which covers both.

Can I submit bids on Contracts Finder?

No. Contracts Finder is for publication only. Each notice directs you to the appropriate e-procurement portal for bid submission.

Contracts Finder