Below-threshold tenders: what the notice rules mean for you

Most contracts a small business bids for are below the procurement thresholds. Under the Procurement Act 2023 they still have rules, including a notice the buyer must publish before it advertises. Here's what that notice is, when it's needed and what the rules mean when you bid.

What a below-threshold contract is

It's a contract with an estimated value below the threshold for its type. From 1 January 2026 that's £135,018 for goods and services bought by central government, £207,720 for goods and services bought by other buyers such as councils, and £5,193,000 for works. Our procurement thresholds guide lists them all.

Part 6 of the Act sets lighter rules for these contracts. Some buyers are outside Part 6, including schools.

When the buyer must publish a below-threshold tender notice

If a buyer intends to advertise a "notifiable below-threshold contract", it must first publish a below-threshold tender notice on the Central Digital Platform, which is Find a Tender. A contract is notifiable when its value is at least:

• £12,000 including tax, if the buyer is a central government authority, including NHS trusts and NHS foundation trusts, or
• £30,000 including tax, for any other buyer, such as a council.

The buyer doesn't need to publish the notice if it only asks for quotes from a closed group of pre-selected suppliers, such as a framework, or from suppliers it targets directly, and doesn't advertise the contract anywhere else. On Find a Tender, these notices show up as tender notices.

What the rules mean when you bid

• A reasonable time to bid. The notice must give a reasonable time to submit tenders, and the same time for every supplier.
• No separate pre-qualification stage. The buyer can't run a separate suitability stage, such as a pre-qualification questionnaire, to cut down who can tender. It can still assess suitability when it decides the award. Larger works contracts, frameworks and devolved Welsh buyers are the exception.
• Barriers for smaller suppliers. Before inviting tenders, the buyer must consider the barriers small and medium-sized businesses may face and whether it can remove or reduce them. This doesn't apply to contracts awarded under a framework.
• Flexibility for the buyer. GOV.UK says buyers can choose to award without competition, ask targeted suppliers for quotes, or restrict a contract to small and medium-sized businesses or voluntary, community and social enterprises. Competitions can also be reserved to suppliers based in the UK or a local area.
• Payment terms. Below-threshold contracts carry the same implied prompt payment terms that apply to larger public contracts.
• After the award. The buyer publishes a contract details notice, usually within 30 days for central government and 90 days for other buyers. For light touch contracts it's within 120 days.

Before you bid

Before a buyer publishes the contract details notice for a notifiable below-threshold contract, it must confirm you're registered on the Central Digital Platform and get your unique identifier, so register before you bid. Registration is free. Our guide to Central Digital Platform registration explains the steps.

To find these contracts, search Find a Tender for tender notices and set a value range that suits you. Our guide on how to use Find a Tender and Contracts Finder walks through the filters.

Questions

What is a below-threshold tender notice?

It's the notice a buyer must publish on the Central Digital Platform before it advertises a notifiable below-threshold contract. It's a lighter version of the tender notice used for larger contracts.

What are the below-threshold notice limits?

£12,000 including tax for central government buyers, including NHS trusts, and £30,000 including tax for other buyers such as councils.

Can a buyer use a pre-qualification questionnaire for a below-threshold contract?

Not as a separate stage before tenders. Larger works contracts, frameworks and devolved Welsh buyers are the exception. The buyer can still assess suitability at the award stage.

Want a shortlist done for you?

UK Tender Desk, from Your Evenings Ltd (that's us), is a done-for-you tender shortlist for small businesses in construction trades, training, transport, care, cleaning and catering. We look at live tenders on Find a Tender and Contracts Finder and pick the ones that suit a business your size. See how UK Tender Desk works

Sources

• GOV.UK: Guidance: Below-Threshold Contracts (updated 13 July 2026; read 31 October 2026) (paragraphs 5, 9, 14 to 16, 18, 22 to 24, 26, 36 and 41 to 42)
• GOV.UK: Guidance: Thresholds (read 31 October 2026)
• The Procurement Regulations 2024, regulation 36A (supplier registration, from 1 April 2026)

This guide summarises the official sources above. It isn't legal advice. Check the notice and tender documents for each contract.

Written with AI assistance by the Your Evenings team at Your Evenings Ltd. Last updated 31 October 2026.