Contracts Finder vs Find a Tender explained
Find a Tender is where new public sector tenders now appear. Since 24 February 2025, new UK procurements publish their notices there, except low value tenders in Scotland. Contracts Finder has not gone: buyers still post award notices there for procurements that began under the old 2015 rules. So if you sell to buyers in England, you will see both sites for a while yet.
Last updated 5 min read Reviewed by Craig
Search Find a TenderWhat you need to get started
Have these ready to choose the right portal and prepare for an opportunity:
- A short list of words a buyer would use to describe your work, such as cleaning or IT support.
- The parts of the UK you sell into, so you know which national portals matter to you.
- A work email address that you check every day, for tender alerts.
Get started
What is the difference between Contracts Finder and Find a Tender?
It comes down to when the procurement started. A procurement that started on or after 24 February 2025 runs under the Procurement Act 2023, and its notices go on Find a Tender.
One that started before then runs under the Public Contracts Regulations 2015, and some of its notices still go on Contracts Finder.
Find a Tender shows upcoming pipelines, active tenders and awarded contracts. Contracts Finder shows award notices, framework awards and below threshold awards from older procurements. You can search both without signing in.
What is Find a Tender?
Find a Tender is the UK government site where public sector buyers publish notices about procurements and contracts.
From 24 February 2025, both above and below threshold notices for new UK procurements are published there. The exception is below threshold notices in Scotland.
A buyer must post a notice for a lower value tender if it plans to advertise it. That applies from £12,000 for central government buyers and £30,000 for other buyers, including VAT.
To save searches and get email notifications, sign in with GOV.UK One Login. Our Find a Tender guide walks you through setting up an account.
Is Contracts Finder still used?
Yes. Many buyers in England must still publish some notices on Contracts Finder for procurements that started under the 2015 rules.
These include award notices for those older procurements, contracts awarded from frameworks set up under the 2015 rules, and below threshold contracts awarded under the 2015 rules.
You can search Contracts Finder and apply without an account. An account adds saved searches and email updates. See our Contracts Finder guide for the account steps.
Has Contracts Finder been replaced?
For new tenders, yes. No new procurements run under the 2015 rules after 24 February 2025, and any new below threshold opportunity must be advertised on Find a Tender.
But the site itself is still live. Older procurements keep using it until those contracts end. That is why you still see both.
What about Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland?
Each nation has its own portal as well. Scotland uses Public Contracts Scotland, and low value Scottish tenders are not on Find a Tender.
Wales uses Sell2Wales. Northern Ireland uses eSourcing NI and eTendersNI. Our guides for each portal show which accounts you need.
How to keep track of both without checking every day
Option 1: set up a saved search and email alerts on Find a Tender, then do the same on Contracts Finder. Add the portal for each nation you work in. It works, but it means one login and one set of emails for every site.
Option 2: get one weekday email that covers both. TenderNudge sends one email every weekday morning with UK public tenders that match your keywords, with links to the original notices. It checks 7 sources, including Find a Tender, Contracts Finder, Public Contracts Scotland, Sell2Wales and eSourcing NI. Coverage varies by provider.
Add up to 100 keywords or phrases. A notice matches when one appears in its title, description or buyer name. Send it to up to five recipients. You still apply through the buyer's portal, not through TenderNudge.
Want to see what is open for your work right now? Try your keywords on the TenderNudge home page with up to 10 keywords, no signup needed. Or start a 14-day free trial (card required).
Common problems
I cannot find an older tender on Find a Tender.
For procurements that started before 24 February 2025, Find a Tender only carries above threshold notices. Search Contracts Finder for lower value notices from England, or the portal for the nation the buyer is in.
My Contracts Finder login does not work on Find a Tender.
The two sites use different accounts. Find a Tender uses GOV.UK One Login, so sign in or create one from the Find a Tender home page.
Frequently asked questions
Is Contracts Finder still used?
Yes. Many buyers in England still publish award notices there for procurements that started under the 2015 rules. New tenders now go on Find a Tender.
Has Contracts Finder been replaced by Find a Tender?
For new procurements, yes. Since 24 February 2025, new UK procurements publish their notices on Find a Tender, except below threshold notices in Scotland.
Does Contracts Finder still exist?
Yes. The site is still live, and you can search it without an account.
Do I need to register on both?
Not to search. You can search both sites without signing in. You need an account on each one if you want its saved searches and email alerts. Find a Tender uses GOV.UK One Login and Contracts Finder uses a separate account.
Are below threshold tenders on Find a Tender?
Yes, for new procurements, except in Scotland. Buyers must post them if they advertise a contract worth at least £12,000 (central government) or £30,000 (other buyers), including VAT.
Can I get email alerts from Find a Tender?
Yes. Sign in with GOV.UK One Login, then save your search and sign up for email notifications.
Can I apply through Contracts Finder or Find a Tender?
Follow the route in the notice. Buyers often use their own portal for documents and bids, so you may need an account there too.