The Procurement Act 2023 reshaped the public procurement landscape when it came into effect on 24 February 2025. It changed tendering processes for buyers, created new requirements for suppliers, and introduced changes to Find a Tender (FTS) – aiming to make it the Central Digital Platform (CDP) for tenders in the UK.

Truths about Find a Tender

Many businesses have placed high expectations on the updated Find a Tender portal, but does it truly deliver?

Prior to the Procurement Act, there was a lot of hype around what was being marketed as the CDP, which turned out to be a collection of updates and developments centred on Find a Tender.

This hype created many misconceptions about Find a Tender. To help you separate fact from fiction, our team has identified the most common myths – and the reality behind them.

Myth: “All public sector tenders have to be published on Find a Tender.”

Reality: There is still no enforcement for Below-threshold (Low-value) Tenders, meaning they can be published on any of the 550+ tender portals out there. This is significant when you consider that 70% of all tenders are Below-threshold opportunities.

Myth: “It will now be easier to find relevant tenders for my business.”

Reality: Find a tender still uses the outdated CPV code system to categorise tenders and generate search results. There are over 9,000 codes, ranging from overly broad to incredibly niche topics, making it incredibly difficult for buyers to identify the most relevant options. The codes have also not been updated since 2008, meaning they do not account for new industry standards or innovations.

Myth: “Find a Tender’s updates mean we no longer need a tender alert service” 

Reality: You will miss contracts relying on just Find a Tender. CPV codes make the portal’s search results inaccurate and unreliable, you do not get access to all Below-threshold tenders, and the volume of search results generated in unmanageable.

Why your business needs Tenders Direct

  1. Comprehensive Coverage: Tenders Direct provides you with access to all tenders, including Below-threshold and unregulated notices that may not be advertised on Find a Tender. This ensures your business never misses a tender.
  2. Accurate and Relevant Alerts: Unlike Find a Tender, and other services which use outdated CPV codes, Tenders Direct reviews every notice to identify relevant opportunities for you. This means your business receives alerts tailored to your specific needs, avoiding irrelevant results.
  3. Time Efficiency: Manually searching through Find a Tender can be time-consuming and overwhelming due to the sheer volume of results. Tenders Direct eliminates your need to search by delivering relevant opportunities direct to your inbox.
  4. Enhanced Tools and Features: Tenders Direct offers a range of solutions to help you help manage your bids, analyse the market, and improve your overall tendering efficiency. Our features will significantly improve the effectiveness of your bidding processes.

Want to ensure you never miss a tender?

Tenders Direct offers you a more comprehensive, accurate, and efficient way to access the public sector marketplace.
 

Request a FREE trial
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