Councils, housing associations, NHS trusts and central government all buy construction work, and they publish it as construction tenders on Find a Tender and Contracts Finder. This page shows what is open now, what buyers usually ask contractors for (much of it set by health and safety law) and how a smaller firm can win work: directly, through a framework or as a subcontractor. Our tender eligibility checker is coming soon. Until then, tell us your trade and postcode to join the free weekly list of live tenders, starting soon.
What buyers usually ask construction contractors for
Each buyer sets its own questions. The checks below are the ones with a legal basis. Anything beyond them sits in the tender pack.
Health and safety competence under CDM 2015
Where a project has more than one contractor, the client must appoint a principal designer and a principal contractor in writing. Anyone appointed must have the skills, knowledge and experience, and (if they are an organisation) the organisational capability for the role. In practice that means questions on your safety management, supervision, past projects and how you control subcontractors.
Building Safety Act dutyholder competence (England only)
For building work in England, the Building Regulations also set out principal designer and principal contractor roles. gov.uk guidance says the client appoints each in writing where there is more than one designer or contractor, and the duties are in the 2023 amending regulations. These rules apply to England, so don’t assume they carry over to a job in another nation.
Health and safety pre-qualification and accreditation
Some buyers ask for membership of a health and safety assessment scheme such as CHAS or Constructionline. We explain how they work in SSIP, CHAS and Constructionline explained. Central government buyers can still use industry questionnaires such as the Common Assessment Standard for works, as long as they meet the Procurement Act, according to PPN 022. Whether a scheme counts is the buyer’s call.
Insurance and financial standing
If you employ people, employers’ liability insurance is a legal requirement, with limited exceptions, and the cover must be at least £5 million. Public liability, contract works cover and turnover tests are set contract by contract. We don’t quote typical levels because we can’t source them: the pack will give the figures. See public liability cover for tenders and turnover tests.
Carbon Reduction Plans and social value on bigger central-government jobs
On central government contracts worth more than £5 million a year including VAT, bidders are asked for a Carbon Reduction Plan as a condition of participation. Central government departments, their agencies and non-departmental public bodies must also give social value at least a 10% weighting on above-threshold contracts where it is relevant (PPN 002). Other buyers may take a different approach, so check the pack.
Most notices don’t state any of this. In the week to 10 Oct 2026, 29 of the 470 live notices in our data (about 6%) stated insurance requirements and 29 named certifications (as of 10 Oct 2026). For the rest you find out in the pack. Here is how we handle that.
How to win construction contracts as a smaller firm
Pick the right size of job
The full Procurement Act rules for works start at £5,193,000 including VAT for procurements starting on or after 1 January 2026. Below that there is more room for small firms. When a buyer invites tenders for a below-threshold contract, it may not restrict who can tender by assessing suppliers’ suitability (Welsh devolved buyers follow their own rules, and call-offs from frameworks are excluded). The exception is works contracts estimated at £135,018 or more (central government) or £207,720 or more (others). Buyers must also consider the barriers SMEs face. Read more in the gov.uk guidance on smaller, below-threshold jobs.
On larger jobs, the buyer must consider splitting the work into lots, or give reasons for not doing so. Look for the lot you can staff, not the whole contract.
Frameworks and dynamic markets (formerly DPS)
A lot of repeat construction work is bought through frameworks. A framework’s term is limited to four years in most cases, so you get a predictable re-tender cycle. Dynamic markets (formerly dynamic purchasing systems) are supplier lists a buyer can award from, and buyers must accept applications to join at any time while the market runs. In the week to 10 Oct 2026, 72 of the 470 live notices in our data mentioned frameworks or DPS (as of 10 Oct 2026). Our guide covers getting on construction frameworks.
Working as a subcontractor to tier-one contractors
Many small firms win their first public work through a main contractor. The 30-day payment term for valid, undisputed invoices that applies to public contracts is also implied into public sub-contracts.
A public sub-contract is any contract substantially for the purpose of performing, or contributing to the performance of, all or part of a public contract. A term that tries to restrict or override the implied payment terms has no effect. The rule doesn’t cover sub-contracts under concession contracts, contracts awarded by a school or a private utility’s contract (section 73(5) and (6)), so don’t assume the protection applies if the main contract is one of those. Ask the main contractor how it handles payment before you sign.
Register on the Central Digital Platform before you bid
Registration is free, and you give the buyer your unique identifier before award. Doing it now removes a delay when a deadline is close. Here’s the gov.uk guide on how to register on the Central Digital Platform.
Common reasons construction bids fail
These are things to check before you commit, not statistics:
- no evidence of CDM competence or a current health and safety policy
- an accreditation the pack asks for that you don’t hold
- a lot or contract bigger than you can staff or insure
- late or missing clarification questions
- working outside the area you can realistically reach
Run that list against each notice before you spend a day on the response.
Related work: if you supply products rather than labour, see construction materials tenders. Planned and responsive maintenance sits under repair and maintenance tenders, and design and survey commissions under architecture and engineering tenders.
Questions
Where are UK construction tenders published?
Notices go on Find a Tender and Contracts Finder, and TenderWorthy covers both. Scottish public bodies must advertise regulated procurements on the Public Contracts Scotland website, which TenderWorthy doesn't cover.
Do I need CHAS or Constructionline to win council construction work?
It depends on the buyer. Some ask for membership of a health and safety assessment scheme and some run their own questionnaire. We can't say any one scheme is required by law, so the tender pack is where you find out what that buyer accepts.
When does a council have to publish a notice for a small construction job?
If a buyer advertises a below-threshold contract worth £12,000 or more (central government, including NHS trusts) or £30,000 or more (other authorities), including VAT, it must first publish a below-threshold tender notice. Buyers can also invite quotes from chosen suppliers without advertising.
Can a small builder bid for part of a big construction contract?
Sometimes. Buyers must consider splitting a contract into lots, or give reasons for not doing so, so look for lots you can staff. You can also subcontract to the main contractor, and the 30-day payment term for valid, undisputed invoices is implied into public sub-contracts.
What does a principal contractor have to show under CDM 2015?
Where a project has more than one contractor, the client must appoint a principal contractor in writing. Anyone appointed must have the skills, knowledge and experience for the job and, if an organisation, the organisational capability. Expect questions on safety management, supervision and past projects.