Official-platform guide

Which official UK service should a supplier use when looking for public-sector opportunities?

Use the official route that matches the notice and procurement. Contracts Finder is an official GOV.UK service for lower-value opportunities and award information in England; Find a Tender is the central digital platform for notices covered by the Procurement Act. Search both where relevant and always follow the buyer's actual notice route.

A direct route, not another tender alert

The discovery question is simple: use official sources, then decide whether the exact notice deserves work. Smart Tenders does not mirror notices or promise a complete market feed.

Reviewed: 2026-08-09
Review due: 2026-11-09
Data position: No account needed

Check before you commit time

Search the official service using a precise service phrase and location or buyer filters where the site supports them.
Open the direct notice, not a search-result page, before using a screening tool or saving a route.
Record the source, publication and deadline facts from the notice, then check the documents for the real scope.
Use one repeatable bid/no-bid rule rather than treating every keyword match as a lead.

Build the evidence list from the buyer documents

Direct official notice URL
Publication and deadline facts
Buyer documents and lot scope
Named eligibility and selection criteria
Internal bid/no-bid decision owner

Your next action

Open the official service, search a specific service phrase, then run the direct notice through the scorecard before saving it to a workspace.

Create a private bid/no-bid brief

What this route does not decide

This guide describes official discovery routes only. It does not interpret thresholds, legal applicability or a buyer's process; verify current official guidance and the notice itself.