Medical equipment tenders are for suppliers of devices, equipment, consumables and related services to the NHS and other public buyers. Regulation decides whether you can supply at all: MHRA registration and the UKCA or CE marking position come first, then data security for connected devices. This page sets out those rules with dates, and how lots, frameworks and NHS notice amounts work. Division 33 of the official CPV list also covers pharmaceuticals and personal care products, so live notices may include drug supply as well as devices.
What buyers usually ask medical equipment suppliers for
Start with the regulatory basics, because they decide whether you can supply at all. This page is a summary of the cited government pages, not regulatory advice. Check the MHRA guidance for your device class.
MHRA registration
The MHRA says all medical devices must be registered with the MHRA before being placed on the Great Britain market. That covers companies that sell, lease, lend or give away Class I, IIa, IIb or III devices they have manufactured, or refurbished or relabelled under their own name. If the manufacturer is outside the UK, it must appoint a single UK Responsible Person, who takes on its registration responsibilities. The MHRA’s regulating medical devices page says importers and distributors do not need to appoint a UK Responsible Person.
The registration page adds that distributors and other suppliers that do not import devices for the Great Britain market are not required to register with the MHRA. A Great Britain-based importer must inform the relevant manufacturer or UK Responsible Person, who then submits the importer’s details to the MHRA.
In Northern Ireland, the page says EUDAMED registration replaced MHRA registration for all devices other than custom-made ones from 28 May 2026, and custom-made devices must continue to be registered with the MHRA. If you supply Northern Ireland, read that page in full.
UKCA or CE marking
The MHRA’s regulating medical devices page says CE-marked devices will be accepted in Great Britain until, at the latest, 30 June 2030, depending on device type and classification. It gives earlier dates for some: general devices under the older EU directives until the earlier of certificate expiry or 30 June 2028. The UKCA mark is not recognised in the EU or Northern Ireland. A Class I device with a sterile or measuring function and a valid MDD certificate can be placed on the Great Britain market until 30 June 2028. The page also says the government will consult on indefinite recognition of CE marked medical devices.
These dates are right as at 11 Oct 2026. Re-check the MHRA page before you rely on them, and keep a note of your certificate expiry dates.
Connected devices and patient data
If your device stores or processes data, expect questions on security. PPN 014 covers central government departments, executive agencies and non-departmental public bodies, and NHS bodies. It points to Cyber Essentials or Cyber Essentials Plus where a contract involves citizens’ personal data or ICT systems that store or process data at the OFFICIAL level. It applies only to contracts with those characteristics and doesn’t set a blanket approach. See our page on Cyber Essentials for how it works.
Maintenance, training, spares and insurance
Buyers may want maintenance cover, user training, a spares commitment and evidence of insurance. We don’t state levels here. Check the pack for what is asked, and whether it is needed with your bid or before award.
Separate the items in your own pricing: servicing, calibration, training for clinical staff, spares and consumables. That lets you answer a buyer that scores them separately. If the pack asks for a quality management system, our page on ISO 9001 explains the standard.
How to win medical equipment contracts
In the week to 10 Oct 2026 there were 12 live medical equipment notices in our data (as of 10 Oct 2026). The sample is small, so we don’t quote a typical contract value.
Frameworks and lots
A framework is a contract that provides for future awards to its suppliers, and its term generally can’t exceed four years. We don’t name any NHS frameworks here. If a notice mentions one, read how suppliers get onto it.
Buyers must consider splitting a requirement into lots and give reasons if they don’t. Lots by product family or consumable type let a specialist bid for just their range.
Thresholds from 1 January 2026
PPN 023 sets the supplies threshold at £135,018 for central government authorities from 1 January 2026. The below-threshold guidance says the Act’s definition of a central government authority includes NHS trusts and NHS foundation trusts. So for them, both the £135,018 supplies threshold and the £12,000 notice amount apply, rather than the figures for other buyers.
If a buyer advertises a contract worth £12,000 or more (central government, including NHS trusts) or £30,000 or more (others), including VAT, it must first publish a below-threshold tender notice. Buyers can also invite quotes from chosen suppliers without advertising. So notices for NHS equipment buys start at a lower value than for a council, and some small purchases are never advertised.
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. For the wider NHS route, see how to win NHS contracts, and for clinical and care services, healthcare services tenders.
Clinical evaluation and whole-life cost
A buyer may award to the most advantageous tender, the one that meets its requirements and best satisfies its award criteria. For equipment, criteria might include clinical evaluation by users, training, reliability and whole-life cost. Check the pack for the weightings.
Build the price over the whole life of the equipment: purchase, consumables, servicing, calibration and disposal. Be specific about training for clinical staff, and about response times if a device fails. If the pack offers a trial or demonstration, treat it as part of the scoring and prepare for it.
Questions
Do I need to register my devices with the MHRA before bidding?
Medical devices must be registered with the MHRA before they are placed on the Great Britain market, and overseas manufacturers must appoint a UK Responsible Person. The MHRA says importers and distributors do not need to appoint one themselves. The rules depend on your role and device class, so check the MHRA guidance and the tender pack.
Can I still supply CE-marked devices to the NHS?
In Great Britain, the MHRA says it will accept CE-marked devices until, at the latest, 30 June 2030, depending on device type and classification. Earlier dates apply to some devices, for example certain devices under the older EU directives until the earlier of certificate expiry or 30 June 2028. Check the MHRA page for your device, as at 11 Oct 2026.
Do connected medical devices need Cyber Essentials?
Only where the contract has the characteristics PPN 014 lists. PPN 014 covers central government departments, executive agencies and non-departmental public bodies, and NHS bodies. It points to Cyber Essentials or Cyber Essentials Plus where contracts involve citizens' personal data or ICT systems storing or processing data at the OFFICIAL level, and it doesn't set a blanket approach. Whether a specific tender asks for it is in the pack.
How small is the smallest NHS equipment contract that must be advertised?
NHS trusts and NHS foundation trusts count as central government authorities under the Procurement Act, so the below-threshold amount is £12,000 including VAT. If a trust advertises a contract worth £12,000 or more, it must first publish a below-threshold tender notice. Buyers can also invite quotes from chosen suppliers without advertising, so a smaller or closed-group purchase may never appear.