Source: https://tendernation.io/guides/contracts-finder-vs-find-a-tender Guide # Contracts Finder vs Find a Tender: what's the difference? The UK's two official tender portals explained: what each one covers, how the Procurement Act changed them, and why you probably need both. Updated 3 Oct 2026 If you've started looking for UK public sector contracts, you've probably found two official government sites, **Contracts Finder** and **Find a Tender**, and wondered why there are two and which one to use. The short answer: they grew up to cover different contract values, the Procurement Act 2023 changed their roles, and for now you should keep an eye on both. ## At a glance Contracts FinderFind a Tender**Run by**UK GovernmentUK Government (Cabinet Office)**Started**2015January 2021, after Brexit**Original focus**Lower-value contracts in EnglandHigher-value contracts across the UK**Role since February 2025**Mainly older procurements under the previous rules, plus some buyers who still post thereThe Central Digital Platform for notices under the Procurement Act 2023**Covers**Mostly England and non-devolved bodiesEngland, Wales, Northern Ireland and many UK-wide bodies**Award data**Large archive of past awardsAward and contract details notices for the full contract lifecycle**Cost**FreeFree## Contracts Finder Contracts Finder launched in 2015 to make lower-value public contracts in England visible to everyone. Under the Public Contracts Regulations 2015, central government had to publish opportunities above about £12,000 and other public bodies above about £30,000 (both including VAT), along with award details. Its main strengths: - **Lots of lower-value opportunities,** exactly where SMEs win most of their first contracts. - **A deep archive of awards,** handy for researching who wins what, and at what price. - **Simple search and email alerts.** Its weaknesses are basic search, literal keyword matching and the fact that, on its own, it was never the whole picture. ## Find a Tender Find a Tender (often shortened to FTS) replaced the EU's TED portal for UK notices when the UK left the EU at the start of 2021. It was originally for **above-threshold** contracts, the high-value ones where the full procurement rules applied. When the Procurement Act 2023 took effect on 24 February 2025, Find a Tender became the **Central Digital Platform**. Notices for procurements under the new Act are published there, including: - Pipeline and preliminary market engagement notices - Tender notices, including regulated below-threshold opportunities - Award, contract details, performance and termination notices - Supplier registration and the "tell us once" supplier information That makes Find a Tender the most complete single source for new UK procurements. ## So which should you use? **Both, for now.** Procurements that began under the old rules carry on under them until they finish, and some of those still publish on Contracts Finder. Some buyers also keep posting there out of habit or policy. As time passes, more and more activity will sit on Find a Tender. You will also need the devolved portals if you sell in Scotland (Public Contracts Scotland), Wales (Sell2Wales) or Northern Ireland (eTendersNI), and you'll still have to register on individual buyers' e-tendering systems to download documents and submit bids. ## The easier way Checking several portals every day is exactly the kind of job software should do. TenderNation pulls in **Contracts Finder and Find a Tender**, along with the EU's **TED** and the **World Bank**, removes duplicates and puts everything in one searchable feed. Saved searches email you new matches with AI summaries, so you only open the tenders that fit. - [Browse live opportunities](/opportunities) - [See tenders by sector](/sectors) - [Look up a buyer](/buyers) ## Related guides - [How to find UK government tenders (2026 guide)](/guides/how-to-find-uk-government-tenders) - [Procurement Act 2023: what SMEs need to know](/guides/procurement-act-2023-smes) - [How to win your first public sector contract](/guides/how-to-win-your-first-public-sector-contract) - [Free vs paid tender alerts: do you need to pay?](/guides/free-vs-paid-tender-alerts) - [Every Procurement Act notice type explained](/guides/procurement-act-notice-types) Put this guide to work Search UK, EU and World Bank tenders in one place, get AI summaries and a fit score for each one, and track bids in a pipeline. Professional comes with a 14-day free trial, no card needed. [Browse live tenders](/opportunities)[Start free trial ](/register) 14-day free trial, no card required Browse by sector - [Construction work](https://tendernation.io/sectors/construction-work)6907 - [Architecture, engineering & surveying](https://tendernation.io/sectors/architecture-engineering-surveying)3896 - [IT services](https://tendernation.io/sectors/it-services)1708 - [Business services](https://tendernation.io/sectors/business-services)2425 - [Health and social work](https://tendernation.io/sectors/health-social-work)1039 - [Sewage, refuse, cleaning & environmental](https://tendernation.io/sectors/sewage-refuse-cleaning-environmental)3349 [All sectors ](/sectors) ## More guides - [ 6 minProcurement Act 2023: what SMEs need to knowWhat actually changed when the new rules went live in February 2025, and how small suppliers can use them to win more public work.Updated 3 Oct 2026](https://tendernation.io/guides/procurement-act-2023-smes) - [ 5 minHow to find UK government tenders (2026 guide)Where UK public contracts are actually published, which portals matter, and how to build a search that catches the right tenders without drowning you.Updated 3 Oct 2026](https://tendernation.io/guides/how-to-find-uk-government-tenders) - [ 5 minHow to win your first public sector contractA practical, step-by-step plan for small businesses going after their first government contract, from picking the right tender to using the feedback.Updated 3 Oct 2026](https://tendernation.io/guides/how-to-win-your-first-public-sector-contract) - [ 13 minHow to write a tender: a step-by-step guide for UK SMEsA practical method for writing UK public sector tender responses that score well, with a before-and-after example, a social value section and a pre-submission checklist.Updated 14 Oct 2026](https://tendernation.io/guides/how-to-write-a-tender) - [ 11 minProcurement Act notice types: UK1 to UK17 explained for suppliersA supplier's guide to all 17 Procurement Act notices, grouped by stage, with what each one tells you and which ones an SME should act on.Updated 14 Oct 2026](https://tendernation.io/guides/procurement-act-notice-types) - [ 6 minFree vs paid tender alerts in the UK: do you need to pay?The government tender portals are free and send email alerts. For some suppliers that's enough. Here's what they do, what they don't, and when paying makes sense.Updated 14 Oct 2026](https://tendernation.io/guides/free-vs-paid-tender-alerts) - [ 9 minHow to bid for council contractsCouncils buy in value bands set by their own contract rules. Learn which band you are bidding in, where each is advertised, and what the council scores.Updated 14 Oct 2026](https://tendernation.io/guides/how-to-bid-for-council-contracts) - [ 8 minHow to get on a council approved supplier listWhat "approved supplier list" means in 2026: frameworks, dynamic markets, minor works lists and accreditations like Constructionline, and how to join each one.Updated 14 Oct 2026](https://tendernation.io/guides/council-approved-supplier-lists) - [ 8 minWhy you keep losing tenders, and how to fix itHow to get the feedback you are entitled to under the Procurement Act, read your scores against the winner's, and find what really keeps costing you contracts.Updated 14 Oct 2026](https://tendernation.io/guides/why-you-lose-tenders) - [ 10 minCan UK companies bid for EU tenders after Brexit?What the WTO Government Procurement Agreement and the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement give UK suppliers, which EU contracts they cover, and how to find and bid for them on TED.Updated 14 Oct 2026](https://tendernation.io/guides/eu-tenders-for-uk-companies) [Compare TenderNation with other tools ](/compare)