If you’re looking for North West tenders, in Greater Manchester, Merseyside, Lancashire, Cheshire or Cumbria, learn The Chest first. It is a shared portal, and Rochdale says the STAR Procurement councils advertise there. It isn’t the whole picture: new opportunities under the Procurement Act 2023 are also advertised on Find a Tender, which is where our live list comes from. In the week to 10 Oct 2026, 41 live notices named a North West delivery location (as of 10 Oct 2026).
Where North West buyers publish tenders
The Chest. The Chest says suppliers can “Register FREE” and that there is “no need to re-register” if you already have a ProContract account. There is also a ProContract listing for The Chest, which we have not assessed: check the portal’s own pages. Rochdale Borough Council’s tenders page says the STAR Procurement councils advertise on The Chest. We can only name Rochdale and the STAR councils as users. We haven’t verified the others, so we don’t list them.
NHS bodies, combined authorities and others. The Chest isn’t the only route. Check each notice for the e-tendering system it names before you register anywhere new.
Find a Tender and Contracts Finder. Since 24 February 2025 no new procurements can start under the old rules (the Public Contracts Regulations 2015), and new below-threshold opportunities must be advertised on Find a Tender (PPN 019, para 8). Contracts Finder still carries notices for procurements that started under the old rules (PPN 019, para 7). We list those two only, so quotes run solely on The Chest won’t appear on this page. For a wider comparison, see every UK tender portal, listed.
Who buys in the North West
Councils are the core buyers, and the STAR Procurement group’s use of The Chest shows how several councils can share one portal. NHS bodies, universities, housing associations and combined authorities also advertise. The region’s work is not limited to one city: Greater Manchester, Merseyside, Lancashire, Cheshire and Cumbria are far enough apart that a firm in Carlisle and a firm in Stockport should be watching different notices.
The live list on this page shows who is advertising now. If a buyer you don’t recognise turns up, check which system it uses before assuming The Chest covers it.
Local support for small suppliers
The Business Support Service gives free advice to businesses in England on 0800 998 1098, Monday to Friday, 9am to 6pm (gov.uk). The same page points to local growth hubs, which you can find through the growth hub finder. Ask whether your local hub runs help with tendering. We haven’t checked what each hub offers.
Winning public contracts in the North West
Set up any portal alerts carefully. Check The Chest’s own pages for whether it offers alerts. Wherever you set alerts, pick the specific work you do, not a broad heading, or you’ll spend mornings deleting emails. Revisit them after a month.
Start with quotes. A below-threshold contract is “notifiable” at £12,000 or more for central government bodies (NHS trusts included) and £30,000 or more for other authorities, including VAT, which means the buyer must publish a below-threshold tender notice (section 87), unless it invites only a closed group of suppliers (gov.uk guidance). Below those figures, a council can ask a handful of suppliers for quotes, so being known to the buyer helps. Register on The Chest and respond to what’s advertised, even if it’s small.
For most below-threshold contracts, section 85 bars buyers from shortlisting on past experience or accounts before inviting tenders. That makes a small first contract more reachable than a framework place.
Read the notice for where to respond. If the notice sends you to a system you haven’t used, register well before the deadline so you can see the documents and ask questions in time.
Look for lots. For above-threshold contracts, the buyer must consider before publishing a tender notice whether the work could be split into lots; if it thinks lots would be appropriate but doesn’t use them, it must give reasons (section 18). In the week to 10 Oct 2026, 62 of the 470 live UK notices were multi-lot (as of 10 Oct 2026). A firm that can’t cover Cumbria to Cheshire may still be able to bid for the lot that matches its patch.
Know the payment terms. Section 68 (above-threshold contracts) and section 88 (regulated below-threshold contracts) imply a term that valid, undisputed invoices are paid within 30 days. That matters when a council quote is your first public job and cash flow is tight.
Read the award notices. For notifiable below-threshold contracts (£12,000 or more for central government, £30,000 or more for others, including VAT), the buyer must publish a contract details notice after signing (section 87), usually within 30 days for central government bodies and 90 days for others (gov.uk guidance). Those notices show who has been winning North West work, and at what value.
Check the insurance early. Only 29 of the 470 live notices in the week to 10 Oct 2026 (about 6%) stated insurance requirements in the notice itself (as of 10 Oct 2026). If you have staff, the pack may ask for employers’ liability cover as well as public liability (see employers’ liability: the cover the law requires of employers), so check before you spend time on the bid. 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
What is The Chest?
The Chest is a shared tendering portal used by public sector buyers in the North West. Its site says suppliers can register free, and Rochdale Borough Council's tenders page says the STAR Procurement councils advertise there. We have not assessed its listings: check the portal's own pages.
Is The Chest free to join?
The Chest's site says 'Register FREE'. Check its registration pages for the current terms before you sign up.
I'm already on ProContract. Do I need to register again?
The Chest's site says there is 'no need to re-register' if you already have a ProContract account. Check its registration pages for how that works.
Do all North West public bodies use The Chest?
No. We can only point to the STAR Procurement councils, such as Rochdale, as advertising there. Other buyers, including NHS bodies and combined authorities, may use a different system, and the notice names it. Always read the notice for where to respond.
Does TenderWorthy include The Chest quotes?
No. We list notices from Find a Tender and Contracts Finder. A quote run only on The Chest will not appear in our list, so keep checking The Chest as well.