Insights

If you’re a small or medium construction firm in the UK, your health and safety (H&S) approach is often the make-or-break factor in public sector bids. Buyers need to see not just that you work safely, but that you have competent people, robust systems, and project-specific risk controls that will...

Winning public sector work is a huge opportunity for small and medium construction businesses in the UK—but it comes with rules. Get the contract basics right and you protect cash flow, avoid disputes, and score well on legal compliance tenders. Get them wrong and you risk blown margins and poor...

Winning public sector work isn’t only about price and programme anymore. Social value is now a significant part of UK procurement scoring, and it can be the difference between coming second and winning. For many small and medium construction businesses, this feels new or confusing—especially if your social value offer...

The opportunity (and the problem) Public sector construction buyers—from councils to NHS Trusts and housing associations—are under intense pressure: deliver more, faster, and greener, while proving value for money. That means more competition, tighter compliance, and buyers who expect crystal-clear bids that reduce their risk. If you’re a small or...

Public sector work can stabilise your pipeline, smooth cashflow and raise your profile—but only if your tender submission actually scores. Too many UK SMEs lose out not because they can’t deliver the job, but because of preventable tender mistakes that drag scores down. If you’re new or semi-experienced with construction...

Public sector construction tenders UK can feel like a treadmill: long forms, repeated questions, and heavy compliance for each bid. Framework agreements change the rhythm. Win a place once, and you can compete for (or be directly awarded) multiple jobs over several years—without re-doing the whole tender every time. For...

The public sector spends billions each year on construction projects—but many small and medium-sized contractors still miss out. Why? Because they’re not on the right frameworks or don’t understand how regional procurement works. As of August 2025, major changes—like the Procurement Act 2023—are creating a more level playing field for...

Winning UK public sector contracts starts before you write a single method statement. The make-or-break is your construction pre-qualification position: whether you can pass the buyer’s basic checks (often called the PQQ or Selection Questionnaire/SQ) and be invited to tender. Since the Procurement Act 2023 went live (24 February 2025),...

For small and medium-sized construction businesses in the UK, the ability to compete effectively for public sector contracts is an increasingly valuable asset. However, many SMEs still rely on ad hoc or outsourced bidding arrangements that lack consistency and strategic alignment. As the competition intensifies and procurement expectations become more...

For UK-based SME contractors, developing a robust pricing strategy is critical to winning public sector contracts. A well-structured price not only improves your competitiveness but also helps maintain profitability and manage delivery risk. With frameworks and tenders becoming more price-sensitive, understanding different pricing models is essential. In this article, we...

Winning public sector construction contracts in 2025 requires more than just competitive pricing and quality work. Social value—a concept once considered an add-on—is now a key evaluation criterion in many tenders, especially following the introduction of PPN 06/20. If you’re a UK-based SME contractor new to tendering or looking to...

The Procurement Act 2023 UK has officially come into force as of October 2024, with 2025 marking the first full year that UK contractors must navigate this new legal framework. For many small and medium-sized construction businesses, this is both a challenge and a huge opportunity. The Act aims to...

Under the Procurement Act 2023, UK public sector buyers with significant annual procurement spend are now legally required to publish forward-looking Pipeline Notices. These notices—referred to as UK1 Pipeline Notices—are central to increasing transparency and supplier readiness. In this guide, we break down the compliance requirements, forecast structure, supplier implications,...