Guides to winning public sector work
Plain-English help for businesses of every size bidding for council, NHS and government contracts.
How to bid for tenders in other countries
Europe, the US, Canada, Brazil and World Bank projects: who can bid, registration, language, currency and the traps to avoid.
Tender alerts in Slack or Microsoft Teams
Send your new matches and closing-date reminders to a team channel, step by step.
E-invoicing for public sector suppliers (2029)
The planned UK e-invoicing rules for invoices to councils, the NHS and other businesses: Peppol, buyer references, the timeline and how to get ready.
Free tool: does e-invoicing apply to me?
Three quick questions to see if the planned April 2029 rules are likely to apply to you.
Free tool: e-invoice viewer
Open a Peppol or UBL XML invoice as a readable invoice. Files never leave your device.
Getting paid on public sector contracts
30-day payment terms, late payment interest, the Construction Act, retentions and CIS — for small firms and subcontractors.
How to get on a council's approved supplier list
What councils check, the documents to have ready, dynamic markets and frameworks, and how to get asked to quote.
Council tender portals: which ones to register on
Find a Tender, Supplying the South West, The Chest, YORtender, Sell2Wales and more, region by region, and how to register well.
How to find and win small business grants
Where UK small business grants are listed, how to check you're eligible before you start, match funding, and how to write an application that stands out.
How to get small council jobs that aren't advertised
Most council jobs under £30,000 go out as quotes to firms the council already knows. Here's how sole traders and small firms get onto those lists and get asked to quote.
How to win council contracts as a small business
A practical, plain-English guide for sole traders and small firms: where to find council tenders, how to decide which to bid for, and how to write a bid that scores well.
The Procurement Act 2023 explained for small businesses
What changed for suppliers when the Procurement Act came into force on 24 February 2025, and what it means if you're a small firm bidding for public sector work.
What is a framework agreement? A guide for small suppliers
Frameworks decide who gets to bid for a lot of public sector work. Here's how they work, how to get on one, and why the timing matters.
Social value in tenders: a practical guide for small businesses
Most public tenders now score social value. Here's what buyers are looking for, how it's marked, and how to make commitments that are realistic for a small firm.