Finding Public Sector Contracts with Tender Watcher
Set up automated monitoring for UK government contracts — Contracts Finder, Find a Tender, and devolved portals.
In this guide
What is Tender Watcher?
Tender Watcher automatically scans UK public procurement portals for contracts that match your trade, region, and value range. Instead of manually checking five different websites, you get a daily email digest with scored matches.
It covers Contracts Finder (England), Find a Tender (UK-wide, higher value), Public Contracts Scotland, Sell2Wales, and eTendersNI.
Creating a watch
Navigate to Dashboard → Tenders → New Watch. Configure your search criteria:
- Name your watch (e.g. "Plumbing contracts, North West")
- Add keywords relevant to your trade
- Select your CPV codes (Gaffer suggests codes based on your trade type)
- Choose regions (or leave blank for UK-wide)
- Set a value range (e.g. £10,000 – £500,000)
- Choose notification frequency: instant, daily, or weekly
💡 Tip: Start with broader criteria and refine after a week. It's better to see too many matches at first than to miss a good opportunity.
Understanding match scores
Each tender gets a match score from 0–100 based on how well it matches your watch criteria. Scores above 70 are strong matches; 40–70 are worth reviewing; below 40 are probably not relevant.
The score considers keyword matches, CPV code overlap, region alignment, and contract value. Closed tenders are automatically scored at 0.
Using AI Bid Writer
Found a good tender? Use the AI Bid Writer add-on (£99/month, included free on Scale) to generate a draft response. It uses your company data — completed jobs, qualifications, RAMS, policies — to create a tailored bid.
AI Bid Writer generates 12 response sections: capability statement, methodology, health & safety, social value, quality assurance, and more. Review and edit the AI output, then submit your bid through the portal.