Find a Tender (FTS)
The UK post-Brexit replacement for OJEU; the portal for public sector contracts above the FTS threshold.
Definition
Find a Tender, often abbreviated to FTS, is the UK's post-Brexit replacement for the OJEU (Official Journal of the European Union) tenders publication. It is the central portal for higher-value UK public sector procurement opportunities above the relevant FTS thresholds set by the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 and the Procurement Act 2023. Publication on FTS is mandatory for contracts subject to PCR 2015 / PA 2023 above threshold. The portal is operated by Cabinet Office and is the closest UK equivalent to TED (Tenders Electronic Daily) on the EU side.
How it works in practice
FTS publishes contract notices, award notices, and historical procurement data for high-value UK public sector work. The data model is OCDS-compatible, which lets third parties (including KimonBids) ingest the feed via API. Thresholds vary by contract type: roughly £139,000 for central government goods and services, £214,000 for sub-central government, £5.3 million for works contracts (figures revised periodically; current values are published by Cabinet Office). Notices above threshold are typically cross-posted on Contracts Finder so suppliers monitoring either portal see the opportunity, but the formal legal advertisement is on FTS. Under the Procurement Act 2023 FTS is being absorbed into a new central digital platform with a unified notice structure; the published location remains the same domain in the interim. For suppliers monitoring opportunities at scale, polling FTS directly via API is the only reliable way to see new notices within minutes of publication; the public search UI works but lags. KimonBids polls FTS, Contracts Finder, Sell2Wales, and Public Contracts Scotland on a short cadence and surfaces matching notices through saved alerts.
Common questions
When did Find a Tender replace OJEU?
FTS launched on 1 January 2021, the day the UK formally left the EU public procurement regime. UK contract notices above threshold from that date are published on FTS rather than OJEU. EU-side opportunities continue on TED; UK suppliers selling cross-border may still monitor TED for relevant lots.
What is the FTS threshold value?
Thresholds depend on contract type and buyer: roughly £139,000 for central government goods and services, £214,000 for sub-central, £5.3 million for works contracts. Cabinet Office publishes the current thresholds; they are reviewed every two years. Below-threshold opportunities are typically published on Contracts Finder rather than FTS.
Is FTS the same as Contracts Finder?
No. FTS handles above-threshold (high-value) opportunities mandated by PCR / PA 2023. Contracts Finder handles sub-threshold and many other public sector opportunities above £12,000 / £25,000. Above-threshold opportunities are commonly cross-posted on both portals.