How to Find UK Government Contracts

Learn what the Central Digital Platform is, why it matters for bidders, and how to use it with confidence. In this video you will see the CDP from a supplier’s point of view, from the dashboard to your organisation profile. We explain what information buyers expect to find, how a clean profile saves time across multiple bids, and how consistency improves trust.

We walk through the key sections you will use most. Legal and trading details, registration numbers, insurance levels, policies and certifications, contact roles, and evidence uploads.

You will learn what a share code is, when to generate one, and how buyers use it to pull your profile. Also find the new 2026 UK Procurment Thresholds.

Learn how to use Find a Tender (FTS) to spot real opportunities quickly and avoid wasting time on poor fits. We focus on building effective searches and reading a UK4 Tender Notice with confidence.

What we cover

• Getting access. Sign in with GOV.UK One Login and open FTS.

• Searching smarter. Use buyer-style keywords, then refine with filters such as location, category, value, procedure and buyer type.

• Reading a UK4 Tender Notice. Where to find the buyer, procedure, description, lots, estimated value, key dates, and how to submit clarifications.

• Deadlines at a glance. Understand tender close, clarification cut-off and typical post-submission milestones mentioned in the notice.

Learn how to keep opportunities coming to you. This video shows how to set up focused saved searches on FTS, turn on email alerts, and use the watch feature for individual notices.

By the end you will know how to keep a steady pipeline of relevant tenders without constant manual searching.

Find a Tender and the Central Digital Platform are located on the same GOV.UK platform. I explain how to navigate between them and the difference between the sites.

In this video we look at the different adverts you will see when searching for UK government contracts on Find a Tender.

You will learn how to spot a livenotice and read the key fields like procedure, lots, value, deadlines and how to apply.

We go over:

1. Open Procedure

2. Competitive Flexible Procedure

3. Direct Award

4. Closed Frameworks

5. Open Frameworks

6. Dynamic Markets

7. Light Touch Services

8. Utilities

9. Defence and Security

In this video we cover timelines for the Open Procedure and for competitions run under the Competitive Flexible Procedure, from notice to standstill. You will see typical durations, at least 25 calendar days for each tender stage, where the effort sits, and how dialogue or interviews can extend CFP timelines.

The Procurement-Specific Questionnaire (PSQ) collects selection information that is specific to a particular procurement and not already held in your CDP profile. It helps the buyer confirm eligibility and basic capability before they assess full tenders.

We go over:

1. Part 1: Core supplier confirmation – your legal details and CDP share code so the buyer can pull your standing information.

2. Part 2: Exclusions – confirmation against mandatory and discretionary exclusion grounds relevant to this procurement.

3. Part 3: Conditions of participation – proportionate pass/fail minimums, for example insurance levels, financial standing, relevant experience, technical and professional ability, health and safety, safeguarding, or named certifications.

An ITT is the formal request to submit your full proposal and price. It is the main stage in an Open Procedure, or the final stage in a Competitive Flexible Procedure.

We briefly go over

• Instructions to Tenderers, deadlines, clarification rules, submission method.

• Specification and scope

  ITTs differ so this will give you an idea of what to expect. Please see the resource section for the exampler ITT.

  
  

Learn how to hone in on large opportunities using FTS filters. This short video shows you how you can find opportunities specifically suitable for your business.

Thank you for taking this course. You have seen how the UK public procurement system works today, and how to navigate it with confidence. We covered the Procurement Act 2023, the main routes to market, and what that means for your bidding approach. You learned how to use Find a Tender to discover opportunities, how to set focused searches, and how to read a UK4 tender notice. You also saw how the Central Digital Platform helps you prepare once, keep your profile current, and share a code with buyers. We clarified the difference between PSQ and ITT, so you know what belongs where. We looked at timelines, clarifications, and the standstill period, so you can plan properly.

Your next steps are simple. Set up or refine your saved searches on Find a Tender. Refresh your CDP profile and generate a new share code if anything has changed. Create a light tracker for deadlines and actions, and decide early if you will bid. When a notice fits, respond clearly, follow the instructions, and keep information consistent with your CDP.

I hope this course has made the process clearer and more manageable. If you found it helpful, please leave a review and share it with a colleague who is ready to sell to the public sector. I wish you the best of luck with your next tender. See you again soon.

Also see the resource section for the powerpoint slides and the procurement crib sheet.