Find NHS Tenders: 5 Steps, CPV Codes and Buyer Names 2026

By Aoba Works · Published October 30, 2026 · 16 min read

How this guide was made: drafted with AI assistance from the official sources linked below, then passed an automated editorial check before publishing. Our process

• Find A Tender
• Contracts Finder
• Cpv Codes
• Sme

To find NHS tenders, search Find a Tender by CPV code (85, 33, 72, 79, 90 and 45 ranges) and by the exact buyer name, such as "NHS Shared Business Services", a named trust or an Integrated Care Board. Then sign in and save that search as an email alert. Since 24 February 2025, procurements under the Procurement Act 2023 are published on Find a Tender whatever their value, and Contracts Finder no longer needs new opportunity notices. Plenty of NHS spending also goes through frameworks run by NHS Shared Business Services (NHS SBS), NHS Supply Chain and the Government Commercial Agency (formerly Crown Commercial Service). Clinical services follow a separate rulebook. So the "find" step is partly about learning which route a buyer uses.

Which option is right for you?

Start with Find a Tender. Add a framework route or a buyer portal only once you know which kind of NHS work you sell.

Why these picks: beginners need one reliable source before anything else. Clinical providers often miss out because they look for "tenders" when many awards come through PSR direct-award routes. And frameworks are where repeat NHS spending sits.

Which CPV codes cover NHS contracts?

NHS buyers mostly tag notices with the 85 (health and social work), 33 (medical equipment and pharmaceuticals), 72/48 (IT) and 79 (business services) CPV ranges. Facilities and estates work adds 90 (cleaning), 55 (catering) and 45 (construction). CPV stands for Common Procurement Vocabulary. Every notice on Find a Tender carries at least one code, so filtering by code catches notices whose titles never say "NHS".

The codes below come from the standard CPV 2008 list, which you can browse on the EU SIMAP CPV page. UK buyers still use this list. Check each code against the CPV picker in Find a Tender before you save a search.

How to choose the right number of codes:

1. Begin with the broad code for your main service, for example 85300000.
2. Add 2–4 narrower codes that describe your work exactly.
3. Run the search and look at the last 20 results. If more than about half are irrelevant, drop the broad code and keep only the narrower ones.
4. If you get almost nothing, add one adjacent broad code. A mental health charity, for example, might add 85100000 next to 85312000.

Example: a small cleaning company in Yorkshire might save 90910000 and 90911200 with the location set to Yorkshire and the Humber. It would then see trust cleaning contracts whose titles say only "Domestic Services – Main Site".

Common mistake: buyers choose codes themselves, and some put a health service under 79000000 or 98000000 (other services). To cover yourself, run a second saved search on keywords and buyer names (see below). Our CPV codes UK guide covers how to choose codes in more detail.

Find a Tender vs Contracts Finder: which one has NHS tenders?

Find a Tender has nearly all new NHS tenders, above and below threshold. Contracts Finder mostly holds older notices from before the Procurement Act. Under the Procurement Act 2023, Find a Tender became the "central digital platform". Every in-scope procurement is published there regardless of value, and government guidance says there is no ongoing requirement to publish opportunity notices on Contracts Finder after 25 February 2025. Some NHS bodies still point suppliers to both. NHS Commercial Solutions, for example, says Contracts Finder is updated weekly with notices.

The value bands you'll see (as of October 2026, including VAT, for procurements that started on or after 1 January 2026, per Hempsons):

• Goods and services, central government bodies: £135,018
• Goods and services, other (sub-central) authorities: £207,720
• Works: £5,193,000
• Light touch services (many health, social and education services): £663,540
• Below-threshold contracts become "notifiable", meaning a notice must be published if they are advertised, at £12,000 for central government and £30,000 for other authorities (Blake Morgan)
• Healthcare services under the Provider Selection Regime: no threshold (Hempsons)

Sources differ on which band some NHS bodies fall into, and the notice itself states the rules being applied, so don't guess from the buyer type. For SMEs, the below-threshold notices are the useful part. A trust buying £40,000 of training still has to publish a UK4 tender notice before advertising anywhere else if it advertises the contract at all. Our Contracts Finder vs Find a Tender comparison and thresholds table go further on both.

Which notice types to watch

The NHS notices worth reading early are the UK1 pipeline, UK2 preliminary market engagement and UK3 planned procurement notices (Find a Tender notice types). A UK2 lets you speak to the trust before the specification is fixed. By the time a UK4 tender notice appears, the clock is already running.

How do I search NHS tenders by buyer name (NHS SBS, ICBs, trusts)?

Search by the buyer's full legal name, not just "NHS". Trust notices often carry titles like "Soft FM Services Lot 2" with no "NHS" in them, and keyword search mainly looks at titles and descriptions.

Buyer names worth saving, grouped by what they buy:

Steps:

1. List 5–15 NHS bodies you could realistically serve. For a local firm, that usually means the acute trust, mental health trust, community trust and the ICB covering your area.
2. Write down each one's full name as it appears on its website, for example "Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust" rather than "Leeds hospital". In April 2026, CCS became part of the Government Commercial Agency, so older notices may show the old name.
3. On Find a Tender, open Opportunities and type each buyer name into the keyword box, with quotation marks if the search allows.
4. Open Contracts and run the same names. Awarded contracts show you who holds the work now and when it ends, so you know when it will be re-tendered.
5. Combine your best 2–3 buyer names with your CPV codes in one saved search, and keep a second, buyer-only search as a backstop.

Example: a VCSE running social prescribing in Kent would save the Kent and Medway ICB name, the local community trust name and CPV 85312000. That catches both PSR transparency notices and ordinary tenders.

Pitfalls: merged trusts change names, so check the trust's website for its current legal name once a year. Some buyers publish through a hub, so a Sussex trust's contract may appear under NHS Commercial Solutions. Devolved nations publish elsewhere too: NHS Wales Shared Services Partnership points suppliers to its own supplier channels, so Welsh and Scottish NHS work needs separate searches.

What NHS frameworks can small suppliers join (Clinical, G-Cloud)?

SMEs can join NHS SBS, NHS Supply Chain and regional hub frameworks, plus GCA frameworks such as G-Cloud, but only while they are open for bids. After that, framework members compete for call-offs among themselves. As NHS Commercial Solutions points out, suppliers cannot join an existing framework mid-term and must wait for the next tender cycle, typically 2–4 years. Finding the next re-tender date matters as much as finding live tenders.

"Clinical frameworks" usually means the Health category at NHS SBS or a hub's clinical lots. Many clinical services aren't bought through frameworks at all. Since 1 January 2024, NHS bodies and local authorities must follow the Provider Selection Regime when arranging healthcare services. It allows direct awards (processes A, B and C), a "most suitable provider" process and competitive processes. When a direct award is planned, a transparency notice goes on Find a Tender. Under the most suitable provider process, authorities must wait 14 days and fairly consider providers that contact them. If you provide clinical services, that 14-day window is your opening.

Steps to get on a framework:

1. On Find a Tender, open Contracts and search the framework name to find its end date.
2. Look for a UK2 or UK3 notice 6–12 months before that date, and save a search on the framework owner's name.
3. Register on the owner's portal ahead of time: SAP Ariba for NHS SBS, Jaggaer for NHS Supply Chain.
4. Check the lot structure. SMEs usually do better on regional or specialist lots than on national ones.
5. Once appointed, tell the trusts in your area. Being on a framework doesn't bring orders by itself.

The full process is in our framework agreement guide. For routes that admit suppliers at any time, see dynamic markets under the Procurement Act.

How do I register to bid on NHS tenders?

Register once on Find a Tender (the central digital platform), then on whichever e-tendering portal the notice names, which is usually Atamis, SAP Ariba or Jaggaer. Find a Tender holds your supplier information. The portal is where you actually download documents and submit the bid.

1. Find a Tender. Sign in with GOV.UK One Login and register a supplier organisation. Once you're registered, the Cabinet Office issues your PPON (Public Procurement Organisation Number), your unique identifier (EANI explainer).
2. Enter core supplier information. This covers name, address, VAT number, legal form, registration date, qualifications and whether you're an SME or public service mutual (Find a Tender factsheet).
3. Generate a share code for each bid and give it to the buyer. Create a new one whenever your details change (Delta eSourcing on share codes).
4. Atamis. Register once at the Health Family Single eCommercial System. One registration gives you access to all the health organisations using it. Helpdesk: 0800 995 6035 or support-health@atamis.co.uk (Leeds Teaching Hospitals Atamis FAQs).
5. SAP Ariba for NHS SBS bids, and Jaggaer for NHS Supply Chain. Both are free to suppliers.
6. Prepare the NHS-specific documents. Since April 2024, NHS procurements need a full Carbon Reduction Plan for contracts above £5 million. Contracts of £10,000 to £5 million need a published Net Zero Commitment, and missing these means you don't proceed to the next stage (NHS England sustainable procurement). Many IT and data contracts also ask for Cyber Essentials.

Pitfalls and fixes:

• The portal account is in a former employee's name. Register with a shared mailbox such as tenders@yourfirm, so clarifications aren't missed.
• You register on the portal but never "express interest". Clarification answers and addenda often go only to suppliers who opted in. Click the opportunity's interest or "register interest" option on the day you find it.
• Your share code is out of date. If you've changed your address or directors, make a new code before you submit.

Detailed walkthroughs: Find a Tender registration and Cyber Essentials for public tenders.

How do I set up alerts for new NHS tenders?

Save two searches on Find a Tender, one by CPV code and one by buyer name, and switch on email notifications. Set up the same on Contracts Finder only if you also want legacy notices. Find a Tender lets signed-in users "save search criteria" and "sign up for notifications via email".

Find a Tender:

1. Sign in with GOV.UK One Login.
2. Open Opportunities.
3. Add your CPV codes from the table above and a location if you only work locally.
4. Run the search, check that the results look right, then save the search criteria.
5. Turn on email notifications for the saved search.
6. Repeat with buyer names only (for example "NHS Shared Business Services", your local trust and ICB).

Contracts Finder (optional):

1. Create a free account at Contracts Finder.
2. Use Keywords, Contract location and Procurement stage (tick Early engagement, Future opportunity and Opportunity).
3. Save the search, then manage how often emails arrive under My Profile (gov.uk supplier guide).

Example set-up for a digital SME (illustrative):

• Search A: CPV 72000000 + 48000000, buyer keyword "NHS"
• Search B: "NHS England" OR "NHS Shared Business Services" OR "[your ICB name]"
• Search C: framework owner names, to catch the next re-tender

Look at each search after two weeks. If one sends more than about 10 irrelevant notices a week, narrow its codes rather than ignoring the emails. If one sends nothing, widen it.

What mistakes make SMEs miss or lose NHS tenders?

The most common causes are searching only the word "NHS", ignoring small-value and pipeline notices, and not spotting that a buyer is using a framework or PSR route. You can fix all three in an afternoon.

• Only searching "NHS". Trust notices often leave the word out. Fix: use the CPV codes and buyer names above.
• Only looking at live UK4 tender notices. By then, deadlines can be as short as the law allows. Fix: watch UK1, UK2 and UK3 notices and go to market engagement events.
• Assuming every NHS contract is an open tender. Much of the spend goes through frameworks, and clinical services may be directly awarded under PSR. Fix: if a competitor is named in a contract award notice and you never saw a tender, check whether it was a framework call-off or a PSR award. Then plan for the next framework round or reply within a PSR 14-day window.
• Missing the net zero requirement. No Net Zero Commitment or Carbon Reduction Plan means you're out at selection (Osborne Clarke). Fix: publish one on your website before you bid.
• Bidding for lots too big for you. A national NHS Supply Chain lot may need insurance and accreditations a micro firm doesn't hold. Fix: go for regional lots, subcontract to a framework holder, or form a consortium.
• Weak social value answers. Most NHS evaluations score social value. Fix: use the method in our social value guide.

Example: if a community interest company searching "NHS" sees nothing for months while the local ICB awards a wellbeing contract directly under PSR, the cause is usually the search, not a lack of opportunities. A buyer-name alert on that ICB would have shown the transparency notice.

Next steps

Today you can save a Find a Tender search with 2–4 CPV codes, add a second search on 5–15 NHS buyer names, and register once on Atamis.

DIY actions for today

1. Sign in to Find a Tender and save the CPV search and the buyer-name search with email notifications.
2. Register your organisation and generate a share code (about an hour if your company details are to hand).
3. Register on Atamis, and on SAP Ariba or Jaggaer if your sector uses NHS SBS or NHS Supply Chain frameworks.

If you'd rather not do it all yourself

A paid tender-intelligence tool can replace your hand-built searches. One example is Stotles: a free plan with tender tracking and alerts, Basic from £75–£99/month (adds expiring-contract forecasts) and Growth from £475/month (adds buyer and framework data). All prices are as of October 2026; check the official page. It suits firms bidding often across several public sectors who want to see contract expiry dates in advance. It doesn't suit a sole trader bidding a few times a year, because Find a Tender alerts are free and cover the same notices. Its data also comes from public notices, so it can't show PSR decisions or framework call-offs that were never published. Independent bid writers are another option, but fees vary widely, so ask for a fixed quote per bid and check whether they've written NHS bids before.

Related guides on this site

• How to win government contracts: 7 steps for SMEs
• Selection Questionnaire under the Procurement Act 2023
• Tender writing examples: 5 answer templates
• Tender no-bid response template

FAQ

Where are NHS tenders published?

New NHS procurements under the Procurement Act 2023 are published on Find a Tender, including below-threshold tender notices and PSR transparency notices. The bidding itself usually happens on a separate portal named in the notice, most often Atamis, SAP Ariba (NHS SBS) or Jaggaer (NHS Supply Chain). Contracts Finder mainly holds older notices.

Are NHS tenders free to access?

Yes. Find a Tender, Contracts Finder, Atamis and the NHS SBS SAP Ariba service are free to suppliers. NHS SBS frameworks cost nothing to appear on, though successful suppliers pay a fee on business won through them.

Can a sole trader or charity bid for NHS contracts?

Yes. Core supplier information on Find a Tender records SME status, and charities and social enterprises can register like any other supplier. Regional lots, below-threshold contracts from £12,000 or £30,000, and PSR processes for community services are usually the most realistic places to start.

What is the Provider Selection Regime for NHS tenders?

The Provider Selection Regime has applied to healthcare services arranged by NHS bodies and local authorities since 1 January 2024. It allows direct awards and a "most suitable provider" process alongside competition, and its transparency notices go on Find a Tender. If you provide clinical services, watch for these notices and respond within the 14-day window.

Sources

• Find a Tender – search and account features
• Find a Tender – notice types and sequences
• Contracts Finder – search
• GOV.UK – Getting the most from Contracts Finder (supplier guide)
• GOV.UK – Find a Tender and the Central Digital Platform factsheet
• Hempsons – Updated thresholds from 1 January 2026
• Blake Morgan – Procurement Act notice requirements
• PSIP – Find a Tender vs Contracts Finder
• NHS SBS – Framework agreement supplier information
• NHS Supply Chain – Contract and tender process
• NHS Commercial Solutions – How do I become a supplier?
• East of England NHS Collaborative Procurement Hub – e-tendering portal
• Atamis – Health Family Single eCommercial System
• Leeds Teaching Hospitals – Trading with us and Atamis FAQs
• NHS Blood and Transplant – Doing business with us
• NHS Wales Shared Services Partnership – Our suppliers
• NHS England – Provider Selection Regime statutory guidance
• NHS England – PSR frequently asked questions
• NHS England – Sustainable procurement
• Osborne Clarke – NHS net zero supplier roadmap milestone
• GCA – Crown Commercial Service (CCS)
• Stotles – G-Cloud 15 award date moves to 6 August 2026
• Computer Weekly – CCS criticised over G-Cloud 15 supplier requirements
• Cabinet Office – supplier registration (dynamic marketplace)
• EANI – PPONs and share codes
• Delta eSourcing – What is a CDP share code?
• EU SIMAP – CPV codes
• Stotles – Pricing

Spotted something out of date or wrong? Tell us at shigoto.ai.note@gmail.com. Guides are re-checked against official sources on a rolling schedule.