The 10-Minute Tender-Ready Checklist
The 12 things every UK small business must have in place before bidding for a public sector contract. Work through it in under 10 minutes and know exactly what to fix.
The UK public sector spent £45.2 billion with SMEs in 2025 — a six-year high — and the Procurement Act 2023 was designed to make bidding simpler for small firms. Councils, the NHS and government departments want to buy from businesses like yours. But most first-time bids fail before they’re even scored, because the basics aren’t in place.
Tick each item below. Anything unticked is your to-do list.
Registrations
- ☐ 1. Companies House details are current — registered address, SIC codes and directors all up to date.
- ☐ 2. Registered on the Central Digital Platform via Find a Tender — the single supplier registration required under the Procurement Act 2023.
- ☐ 3. Signed up to Contracts Finder alerts — where lower-value contracts (from £12,000) are advertised.
- ☐ 4. ICO registration — if you handle personal data (most businesses do), you must be registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office.
Insurance & certifications
- ☐ 5. Public liability insurance — buyers typically ask for £5m; check the tender’s minimum.
- ☐ 6. Employers’ liability insurance — a legal requirement if you have staff; £10m is commonly requested.
- ☐ 7. Professional indemnity insurance — essential for services/consultancy contracts.
- ☐ 8. Cyber Essentials certification — required for most central government contracts involving data; costs from ~£320 and signals credibility everywhere else.
Policies & evidence
- ☐ 9. Health & safety policy — written and dated (legally required with 5+ employees); trades should consider SSIP schemes like Constructionline.
- ☐ 10. Equality, diversity & environmental policies — short, signed documents; larger contracts also expect a Carbon Reduction Plan.
- ☐ 11. Financial standing evidence — up to two years of accounts (or management accounts if newer); buyers check you can deliver.
- ☐ 12. Social value statement + references — how you create local jobs, community benefit or environmental good, plus 2–3 named client references. Social value carries a minimum 10% weighting in most public tenders.
Scored under 12? That’s normal.
Most items take under a day to fix, and none require a consultant. Start with registrations (free), then insurance, then policies.
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Next steps
Once you’re tender-ready: read our step-by-step guide to registering on Find a Tender, and list your business on LocoSearch so public and private sector buyers can find you.