If you’ve looked at Find a Tender recently, you may have noticed some significant changes. These are the result of the Procurement Act 2023 coming into force, introducing a new set of rules around how public contracts are advertised and awarded in the UK.
The changes are designed to create a more transparent, streamlined and accessible procurement process and they should offer particular advantages for small and medium-sized businesses.
For any organisation looking to supply the public sector, it’s important to understand what’s different and how to make the most of the new system.
Here’s a summary of the key updates and what they mean for you.
-- New types of notices
Previously, there were a limited number of notices, primarily tender notices and contract awards. Now, the system has been overhauled with a whole host of new notice types, all aimed at improving transparency and encouraging earlier engagement with suppliers.
Here are the key ones to look out for:
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Planned procurement notices
These are optional, but they tell us that a contract is coming down the line. If published 40 to 365 days before the formal tender notice, they can even allow buyers to shorten the later tender period so it’s going to pay to be prepared.
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Preliminary market engagement notices
These invite suppliers to get involved earlier in the process - before the specification is even written, in many cases. It’s a chance to share your insights and help shape the procurement before it’s set in stone.
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Pipeline notices
These give longer-term visibility over future opportunities, helping you plan ahead, allocate resources, and make sure they're ready when tenders go live.
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Contract performance notices
A new way to keep tabs on how awarded contracts are performing. This gives suppliers insight into what “good” looks like, and potentially flags gaps in delivery that you could help fill next time.
These notices should make the whole process feel a lot more open and less reactive. Instead of scrambling to meet a surprise deadline, you’ve got more insight into what’s coming up, more time to prepare, and more ways to get involved.
-- Improved search functionality
You may also have noticed that not only are there more notice types but there’s a slight change to the layout and search filters. These are designed to help users find relevant opportunities more efficiently, but it’s important to know how to use them correctly.
One key update is the Procurement Stages filter. If you want to see only open opportunities, make sure the “Open Opportunities Only” box is ticked. If it isn’t, you’ll also see closed opportunities - which can be disappointing if you spot something perfect that’s already out of reach.
You can also streamline your search results by unticking notice types such as Award, Contract, and Termination – especially if you’re only interested in new work rather than tracking past awards or withdrawn tenders. As an example, at present, Termination notices show opportunities that have been withdrawn so have no benefit to you when looking for an opportunity.
-- More information earlier in the process
Buyers now need to provide more detail in their notices, right from the start. That includes estimated contract value, intended timelines and even the reasons behind certain procurement choices.
For SMEs, this means a clearer picture of whether an opportunity is worth your time before you commit precious resource to it. You can quickly assess fit, focus your energy where it counts, and bid smarter, not harder.
-- Supplier information made simpler
One of the most practical improvements is the introduction of the Central Digital Platform (also known as Find a Tender) where you can store your key information once, and reuse it across multiple tenders.
Instead of uploading the same documents and filling in the same details over and over, you’ll be able to paste in a code that links directly to your stored information. It’s quicker, easier, and means less chance of missing something critical under pressure.
The public sector spends hundreds of billions each year, and the Procurement Act changes are a real attempt to open up that spend to a broader range of suppliers. If you're an SME who’s previously been put off by the process, this is the perfect time to take another look.
The system is still new, and small updates appear to be ongoing, so some elements may evolve as the platform develops and user understanding improves but it's worth getting yourself familiar with it now.
Of course, it still helps to know where to look, how to read the notices, and how to put your best foot forward in a bid, that’s where we come in. If you’d like help understanding the new notices, getting involved in early engagement, or writing winning tenders, get in touch.
