UK Public Sector Contracts — £250,000 – £1,000,000
Larger UK public sector contracts — above-threshold for services, full Find a Tender Service treatment, formal scored evaluation against detailed criteria.
For: Mid-market suppliers with established public sector bidding experience and a substantive bid function.
Contracts in the £250k–£1m band cross the formal Find a Tender Service threshold for services and most goods, which means published OJEU-equivalent notices, structured evaluation criteria, and formal standstill periods before award. This is mid-market territory — established suppliers competing against 5-15 other credible bidders on a substantive scored response.
8-12 weeks
Typical evaluation
Open / restricted procedure
Common procurement
10 working days
Standstill period
6-15
Typical bidders
Live UK contracts £250,000 – £1,000,000
All Age PA Brokerage & Support Service
Large Infill Modernisation Phase 2
CA18412 - Learning Community Trust Tender for Catering Services
Learning Community Trust Tender for Catering Services
003626 - Provision of Manned Security Guard Services at Aycliffe Secure Centre
The Provision of Town Planning Legal Advice Services
Provision of a Dog Warden Service
BAS - SDA - Scientific Mooring Hoist
Appointment of an Independent Person to the Staffordshire Pension Fund
Visitor and Member Experience Surveys - National Ops
Trinity Arts & Leisure Centre; Heating & Hot Water Upgrade Project
CA18437 - Trinity Arts & Leisure Centre; Heating & Hot Water Upgrade Project
Window Cleaning Services
COV - Independent Children's Complaints Investigation 2026
Festive Lighting for Stirling City Centre
How to win contracts £250,000 – £1,000,000
Bid/no-bid before drafting
At this contract size you're committing 40-80 person-hours minimum. Run a structured bid/no-bid first — your win-rate matters more than the number of bids submitted.
Selection vs award stages
Most £250k+ contracts use the restricted procedure: pass selection (SQ) first, then compete on award criteria. Make sure your SQ answers are crisp before investing in the award response.
Get the maths right
At this size, scoring is granular. A 70% Quality / 30% Price split with sub-weighted criteria means small differences swing the result. Cost the bid carefully against the formula.
FAQs
Are contracts £250k+ always published on FTS?
For services and goods above the relevant thresholds, yes — Find a Tender Service publication is mandatory under the Procurement Act 2023.
What is the standstill period?
A mandatory 10 working day pause between award decision and contract signature, during which unsuccessful bidders can challenge the decision. Required for above-threshold procurements.
How long do £250k-£1m bids take to win?
Typically 8-12 weeks from notice publication to award decision, then 10 working days standstill before contract signature.
Browse contracts by value
Under £50k
SMEs, sole traders and first-time bidders looking for access…
£50k–£250k
Established UK SMEs and growing suppliers with 1–3 years of …
£1m–£5m
Established suppliers and primes with dedicated bid function…
Over £5m
Primes and consortia bidding for strategic UK public sector …
See also: all live contracts, our closing this week page, or browse by sector.