Contracts Finder vs Find a Tender Service — which should I use?

Use Find a Tender Service for procurements above UK thresholds (£214,904 for goods/services, £5,372,609 for works). Use Contracts Finder for below-threshold opportunities and voluntary transparency publishing.

Threshold-Based Selection

Find a Tender Service (FTS) is mandatory for procurements above the UK public procurement thresholds: £214,904 for goods and services, £5,372,609 for works, and £663,540 for light touch regime services. Contracts Finder is used for below-threshold opportunities and voluntary transparency measures.

Find a Tender Service Requirements

FTS replaced the EU's OJEU/TED system post-Brexit and serves as the UK's official platform for above-threshold procurement notices. All contracting authorities must publish contract notices, prior information notices, and contract award notices on FTS when conducting regulated procurements. The platform operates under the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 and will transition to support the new Procurement Act 2023 framework when it comes into force.

FTS integrates with the government's procurement pipeline and provides standardised templates for different notice types. Suppliers can search opportunities, set up email alerts, and access detailed tender documentation through the platform.

Contracts Finder Applications

Contracts Finder serves multiple purposes beyond mandatory below-threshold publishing. Many authorities use it voluntarily for transparency, publishing details of all contracts over £10,000 regardless of procurement route. It's also valuable for market engagement activities, including prior information notices for sub-threshold opportunities and early market engagement exercises.

The platform requires less formal documentation than FTS and offers greater flexibility in notice formats. However, it lacks the structured legal framework that governs FTS publications, making it unsuitable for regulated procurements.

Practical Considerations

Many procurement teams use both platforms strategically: FTS for compliance with regulated procurement rules, and Contracts Finder for broader market engagement and transparency initiatives. Some authorities publish all opportunities on both platforms to maximise supplier reach, though this creates additional administrative burden.

For procurement pipelines and early market engagement, Contracts Finder often provides better supplier response rates due to its broader SME user base and simpler registration requirements. However, for formal tender processes above thresholds, FTS publication is legally required and Contracts Finder publication alone would constitute a breach of procurement regulations.

The choice ultimately depends on your procurement value, regulatory requirements, and transparency objectives rather than platform preference.