PPN 01/23: Requirements to publish on Contracts Finder · first published 18 January 2023
This Procurement Policy Note (PPN) updates the rules on when public bodies must advertise contract opportunities and awards on Contracts Finder, the free government portal where suppliers find public-sector work. The Public Contracts (Amendment) Regulations 2022, which came into force on 21 December 2022, raised the minimum contract value at which publication is required: central government bodies now publish from £12,000 (inc VAT), up from £10,000; sub-central authorities (councils, housing associations, etc.) and NHS Trusts and NHS Foundation Trusts publish from £30,000 (inc VAT), up from £25,000. If you bid for public contracts, this means slightly fewer very-low-value opportunities will appear on Contracts Finder — but the portal remains the mandatory, free place to find the vast majority of public-sector work. Central government bodies must also publish the actual tender and contract documents alongside the relevant notices on Contracts Finder. All contract values are calculated inclusive of VAT from 1 January 2022.
WHO THIS APPLIES TO
THE ENKII VIEW
For SMEs (small and medium-sized enterprises), Contracts Finder remains the single most important free channel for spotting public-sector opportunities — this PPN confirms and consolidates that obligation on buyers, which is good for suppliers. The small threshold increases (£10k→£12k centrally; £25k→£30k sub-central) mean a narrow band of very small contracts may no longer appear, but this is unlikely to affect most SME bidders. Crucially, the requirement for central government to publish full tender and contract documents on Contracts Finder increases transparency, helping SMEs understand exactly what they are bidding for without having to request documents separately.
1. Make Contracts Finder your first stop for opportunity-spotting: set up free email alerts on Contracts Finder (www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk) filtered by your sector and region, knowing that all qualifying public bodies are legally required to post there.
All SMEs seeking public-sector contracts — This PPN confirms that all in-scope public authorities must publish opportunities and awards on Contracts Finder above the applicable thresholds — it is the mandatory, free, central register of UK public-sector opportunities.
2. Download and review the full tender and contract documents published on Contracts Finder at each stage of a procurement — you no longer need to separately request these from the buyer.
SMEs bidding on central government contracts — Part 2 of the guidance requires central government authorities to publish associated tender and contract documents alongside their notices on Contracts Finder, improving transparency for bidders.
3. Adjust your opportunity-monitoring threshold: central government contracts are now published from £12,000 (inc VAT), not £10,000 — update any saved searches or alert filters accordingly.
SMEs tracking low-value central government opportunities — The 2022 Regulations raised the central government below-threshold publication floor from £10,000 to £12,000 inc VAT, so contracts in the £10,000–£11,999 band will no longer routinely appear.
4. Set your Contracts Finder alerts to catch opportunities from £30,000 (inc VAT) upwards for councils, housing associations, NHS Trusts and NHS Foundation Trusts — this is the new mandatory publication floor for these bodies.
SMEs bidding on sub-central, NHS Trust or NHS Foundation Trust contracts — The 2022 Regulations set £30,000 inc VAT as the publication threshold for sub-central authorities and all NHS Trusts/Foundation Trusts, up from £25,000.
5. Always include VAT when estimating contract value to decide whether a buyer is obliged to advertise on Contracts Finder — a £10,800 (ex-VAT) contract at 20% VAT is £12,960 inc VAT and sits above the central government threshold.
SMEs calculating whether a contract is 'in scope' for Contracts Finder — The PPN confirms that contract value thresholds are calculated inclusive of VAT from 1 January 2022, which brings more contracts into scope than an ex-VAT calculation would suggest.
6. Check Contracts Finder regularly for award notices — central government must publish award details and the awarded contract within 30 calendar days of the contract award date (the date the last party signs).
SMEs monitoring contract awards to understand the market and identify re-bid opportunities — The PPN fixes the award publication deadline at 30 calendar days from contract award date, giving suppliers a predictable window to track competitors' wins and plan future bids.
This briefing is enkii's interpretation of the official document — the official text always governs.
Source document © Crown copyright, reused under the Open Government Licence v3.0 via the GOV.UK Content API. enkii tracks every Procurement Policy Note and briefs changes the day they land — see all briefings.