Procurement guides
Plain English guides to UK public procurement, tendering, and winning contracts.
Getting Started
Tender Basics
Core concepts every supplier needs to understand before starting to tender.
How to Read a UK Public Sector Tender Notice
UK tender notices are dense and intimidating. Here is what every section means, what to look for in the first five minutes, and how to decide whether to bid.
9 min readThe 8 Stages of UK Public Procurement: Tender Lifecycle Explained
Every UK public sector procurement follows the same eight stages, from pre-market engagement to contract management. Here is what happens at each stage, and where suppliers can influence the outcome.
8 min readWhat Is a Tender? A Plain English Guide
A clear, jargon-free explanation of what a tender is, how the UK tendering process works, and why it matters for suppliers.
2 min read
Finding Tenders
How to discover relevant public sector opportunities and set up effective monitoring.
What Is the Find a Tender Service (FTS)?
FTS is the UK government official platform for above-threshold public sector contract notices. Learn what it covers.
2 min readHow to Find Government Contracts in the UK
A step-by-step guide to the UK portals and practical methods SMEs use to discover public sector contract opportunities.
8 min read
Procurement Terminology
Plain English explanations of the jargon used in UK public procurement.
Selection Questionnaire (SQ): A Complete Guide for UK Suppliers
The Selection Questionnaire is the standard UK pre-qualification document for public sector tenders. Here is what every section covers, what evidence you need, and how to reuse your answers across bids.
8 min readTender Evaluation Criteria: Quality, Price, and Social Value Weightings
How UK public sector buyers actually score tenders. Quality, price, and social value weightings explained, with typical UK percentages by sector.
7 min readCPV Codes: What They Are and How to Find the Right Ones
CPV codes are the standard numbers UK public buyers attach to every contract notice to describe what they are buying. Knowing the right ones, and the adjacent codes buyers also reach for, is the difference between seeing the opportunities in your market and missing them.
5 min readWhat Is a PQQ? Guide for Suppliers
A PQQ is a screening questionnaire buyers use to shortlist suppliers before inviting full tender bids. Learn what one covers and how to pass it.
2 min readUK Procurement Thresholds 2026: Current Figures and What They Mean
The current UK procurement thresholds apply from 1 January 2026 to 31 December 2027 and include VAT. Here are the figures, how contract values are worked out, and what changes above and below the line.
5 min readDynamic Markets Under the Procurement Act 2023: A Supplier Guide
Dynamic markets are the new open supplier lists introduced by the Procurement Act 2023, replacing Dynamic Purchasing Systems for all new procurements from February 2025.
7 min read
Frameworks & Portals
Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS) Explained: How It Works, How to Join, and What Replaces It
A dynamic purchasing system (DPS) is an open, ongoing list of approved suppliers that a public buyer invites to bid for individual contracts. Unlike a framework, you can apply to join at any point, which makes it one of the most accessible routes into public sector work for SMEs.
7 min readFramework Agreements in UK Public Procurement: A Practical Guide for SMEs
Framework agreements sit at the heart of UK public procurement. This guide explains how they work, which frameworks matter most for SME suppliers, and what you need to do to secure a place on one.
5 min readGuide to UK Procurement Portals
A comprehensive overview of every major UK public sector procurement portal and what each one covers.
6 min read
Winning Tenders
Practical guidance on writing bids, working with bid writers, and improving win rates.
Bid Writing: How to Write a Winning Tender Response
Bid writing, or tender writing, is the work of preparing a formal response to a procurement opportunity. This guide covers what a tender response involves, how evaluators score it, and how to write answers that win marks.
5 min readBid Management: What a Bid Manager Does and How to Run the Bid Process
Bid management is the discipline of running a bid from first sight of an opportunity to the result. Here is what a bid manager does, the stages of the bid process, and how a small business can run it without a big team.
5 min readHow to Tender for Government Contracts: A Step-by-Step Guide
UK public sector contracts are open to businesses of every size. This step-by-step guide covers getting registered, finding the right opportunities, how you will be asked to bid, and building a track record.
6 min readBest UK Tender Writing Courses in 2025
A guide to the best tender writing and bid management courses available in the UK, from free online resources to accredited APMP qualifications.
3 min read