Where UK public tenders are published — and the thresholds that decide

If you're new to UK public procurement, the first question is simply: where are the contracts published? The answer depends on the contract's value.

Find a Tender for higher-value contracts

Find a Tender (FTS) is the UK's central service for higher-value public contracts. It launched on 1 January 2021, replacing the EU's OJEU/Tenders Electronic Daily after Brexit, and was enhanced under the Procurement Act 2023.

Contracts Finder for lower-value contracts

Lower-value and below-threshold opportunities are published on Contracts Finder. Between the two, a very large share of public-sector opportunity is visible online — if you know to watch both.

The thresholds that decide (from 1 January 2026)

Whether a contract sits above the higher-value rules depends on thresholds that are refreshed periodically. The amounts in force from 1 January 2026 (inclusive of VAT) are:

• Goods and services — central government: £135,018
• Goods and services — other contracting authorities: £207,720
• Works (construction): £5,193,000
• Light-touch services: £663,540

What it means for you

Don't watch only the high-value service — plenty of work for SMEs sits below threshold on Contracts Finder. Covering both sources by hand is tedious, which is exactly the kind of daily scanning Bidvane automates, then filters down to the contracts that fit your profile.

Sources: GOV.UK — Find a Tender · GOV.UK — PPN 023: 2026 threshold amounts