Industrial machinery tenders are issued by universities, colleges, councils, utilities and research bodies buying machines, workshop equipment and lifting gear. This page is for suppliers: dealers, manufacturers, handling-equipment firms and inspection businesses. It sets out the machinery safety and marking rules buyers look for, the lifting inspections that create service work, and how lots, frameworks and thresholds affect small suppliers. The notice and the tender pack set the exact requirements, so check both before you price. Where a rule applies to you, we link the government source.
Who publishes industrial machinery tenders
Buyers include universities, colleges, councils, utilities and research bodies. In the week to 10 Oct 2026 there were 16 live machinery notices in our data (as of 10 Oct 2026). The sample is small, so we don’t quote a typical contract value. Open the live notices on this page to see the stated values and buyers.
What buyers usually ask machinery suppliers for
Safe machinery and conformity marking
The law puts the duty on the supplier. Under regulation 7 of the Supply of Machinery (Safety) Regulations 2008, no responsible person may place machinery on the market or put it into service unless it is safe. Before then, they must:
- meet the essential health and safety requirements
- compile the technical file
- provide the information needed to operate it safely, such as instructions
- follow the conformity assessment procedure
- draw up a declaration of conformity
- apply the UK marking
Check whether the pack asks for the declaration of conformity and instructions with your bid or at delivery. The GB guidance explains each step.
UKCA or CE marking
For self-declared machinery in Great Britain, the same guidance says manufacturers can affix either the UKCA or the CE marking. CE marking stays required for the EEA and Northern Ireland, and products assessed by a UK Approved Body must be UKCA marked. Other product types are covered by the government’s sector table of product regulations and marking. Check what your product needs and what the pack says.
Lifting equipment and inspection
If you supply or maintain lifting equipment, regulation 9 of LOLER matters. Where lifting equipment is exposed to conditions that cause deterioration liable to lead to danger, it requires thorough examination at least every 6 months for equipment that lifts people and for lifting accessories, and at least every 12 months for other lifting equipment, or in line with an examination scheme. A competent person must also inspect between examinations where appropriate.
The regulation puts the duty on the employer, not the supplier, so inspection and maintenance work can turn up in tenders. For maintenance of building systems, see M&E installation tenders.
Installation, training, warranty and service
Buyers may want installation, operator training, a warranty period and a service plan with the machine. Check the pack for what is in scope, how long cover must last and where service engineers must be based. If the notice is silent on installation, don’t assume it is excluded.
How to win machinery contracts
Supply-and-install bids and LOLER
If you supply and install lifting equipment, look at regulation 9(1) and (2) of LOLER. Unless it is new and comes with a declaration of conformity made within the previous 12 months, or it comes from another business with physical evidence of its last thorough examination, lifting equipment must be thoroughly examined before the employer first puts it into service. Separately, where its safety depends on the installation conditions, it must be examined after installation and before first use, and after assembly at a new site or location.
For your bid, that means asking who arranges the examination and whether it sits inside your programme. Allow time for it before handover rather than treating it as someone else’s problem.
Read the specification before you price
If a brand or model is named, ask a clarification question during the tender period rather than guessing whether alternatives are acceptable. Put the question in writing and keep the answer, because the reply can apply to every bidder.
Lots, frameworks and thresholds
A buyer must consider splitting a requirement into lots, and give reasons if it doesn’t. Lots let a specialist bid for the one machine type they supply. Frameworks generally can’t run longer than four years, so a missed round isn’t permanent, but note the end date.
From 1 January 2026, the supplies threshold is £135,018 for central government authorities and £207,720 for other contracting authorities (PPN 023). Smaller orders fall under the below-threshold rules. If a buyer advertises a contract worth £12,000 or more (central government, including NHS trusts) or £30,000 or more (other buyers), including VAT, it must first publish a below-threshold tender notice. Buyers can also invite quotes from chosen suppliers without advertising. There is no separate supplier-suitability stage before tenders are invited, so lower-value workshop equipment can be bought with lighter paperwork. Schools and transferred Northern Ireland authorities are outside this regime.
Whole-life cost and maintenance pricing
The award goes to the most advantageous tender: the one that meets the requirements and best satisfies the award criteria. If the criteria include whole-life cost, put the purchase price next to spares, service visits, consumables and expected downtime. A cheaper machine with an expensive service contract can lose.
State your response times for breakdowns, and where your engineers are based, in plain numbers the buyer can hold you to. Only promise what your service network can deliver.
Check the codes and related categories
Machinery sits in CPV division 42 in our data. If you are unsure which codes cover your products, use our CPV code finder to find them. Related categories are electrical equipment tenders, vehicle and fleet tenders and construction materials tenders.
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.
Questions
Does machinery sold to UK public bodies need UKCA marking?
For Great Britain, the government's machinery guidance says manufacturers of self-declared equipment can affix either the UKCA or the CE marking. CE marking remains required for sales to Northern Ireland and the EEA. Products assessed by a UK Approved Body must be UKCA marked. Check the guidance for your product and whether the tender pack names a marking.
Who buys industrial machinery in the public sector?
Universities, colleges, councils, utilities and research bodies all buy machinery and workshop equipment. The buyer and delivery location are shown on every notice, so open the live notices on this page to see current examples.
What is a LOLER thorough examination, and do buyers tender for it?
Under regulation 9 of the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998, lifting equipment that is exposed to conditions causing deterioration liable to lead to danger must be thoroughly examined at least every 6 months if it lifts people or is an accessory for lifting, and at least every 12 months otherwise, or under an examination scheme. The regulation puts the duty on the employer, so inspection work can appear in tenders.
Can I bid for supply only, without installation?
It depends on the notice. If it is split into lots, supply may be a separate lot. If it is a single supply-and-install contract, you would need to bid for both or team up with an installer. Check the lot structure in the notice and the pack.