New to tendering
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Core explanations for anyone encountering tenders for the first time: what they are, who buys, and how the process runs end to end.
Guides in this hub
definition
Invitation to Tender (ITT): Meaning, Contents and How to Respond
An invitation to tender (ITT) is the formal document a buyer issues to invite suppliers to submit a priced, compliant offer for a defined requirement. It sets out the specification, the contract terms, the award criteria and weightings, and the exact response format. In UK public procurement the ITT is the main tender stage: what you submit against it is what gets scored.
comparison
ITT vs RFP vs RFQ
An ITT asks for a priced, compliant offer against a defined requirement. An RFP asks suppliers to propose a solution as well as a price. An RFQ asks only for pricing on a clearly specified, usually low-value purchase.
guide
Find a Tender Service Explained
Find a Tender (FTS) is the UK government service publishing higher-value public procurement notices. Contracts Finder carries lower-value opportunities and contract awards, so most suppliers need to monitor both.
guide
Spend Under Management: What It Means and Why It Decides Who Wins Contracts
Spend under management (SUM) is the proportion of an organisation's third-party spend that the procurement function actively controls — sourced through a competed contract, a framework or an agreed catalogue, with a named owner and a renewal date. It is usually expressed as a percentage of total addressable spend. For suppliers it is the single most useful metric to understand about a buyer, because every point of SUM growth means one more informal, relationship-based buying route being closed and replaced by a formal competition you must win on paper.