Free tender guides for UK suppliers
Preparing a public-sector bid? These guides explain what buyers ask for and why, in plain English, with links to the legislation and government guidance behind each requirement. Written and reviewed by the companypolicies.ai team at Spire Trade Advisors Ltd, and kept up to date as the rules change.
Start here: what buyers ask for
The documents and policies UK public-sector tenders usually request, and a checklist to work through.
- Documents needed for public sector tenders: a UK checklist
The documents UK public-sector buyers ask for at each tender stage: registration, selection (PSQ), your tender response and contract award.
8 min read · Updated 2 Oct 2026
- Which policies do UK public-sector tenders ask for?
The policies UK public-sector buyers commonly ask for, by sector, and where they fit in the Procurement Act 2023 PSQ, exclusions and selection conditions.
9 min read · Updated 2 Oct 2026
- Tender policy checklist for UK public-sector bids
A practical checklist of the policies UK public-sector tenders commonly request: core, sector-specific and major-contract documents, with links.
5 min read · Updated 2 Oct 2026
Procurement Act 2023, the PSQ and registration
How the rules in force since 24 February 2025 affect suppliers, including the April 2026 changes.
- Procurement Act 2023: what suppliers and SMEs need to know
Plain-English guide to the Procurement Act 2023 for suppliers and SMEs: Central Digital Platform, PSQ, exclusions, 30-day payment and 2026 changes.
8 min read · Updated 2 Oct 2026
- Procurement Specific Questionnaire (PSQ) explained for suppliers
What the Procurement Specific Questionnaire asks under the Procurement Act 2023, how it replaced the PQQ and SQ, and the evidence to prepare.
8 min read · Updated 2 Oct 2026
- Central Digital Platform registration: a guide for suppliers
How to register your business on the Central Digital Platform (Find a Tender), the supplier information you need, share codes and the April 2026 rules.
7 min read · Updated 2 Oct 2026
Construction and accreditation schemes
What CHAS, Constructionline, SafeContractor and SSIP assessments check, and the health and safety documents behind them.
- CHAS, Constructionline and SafeContractor: policies and documents checklist
Policies and documents CHAS, Constructionline and SafeContractor commonly ask for, and how SSIP and the Common Assessment Standard fit in.
8 min read · Updated 2 Oct 2026
- SSIP policies explained: what an SSIP assessment checks
What SSIP is, the SSIP Core Criteria, the health and safety policy and documents assessors check, Deem to Satisfy, and how small firms can prepare.
7 min read · Updated 2 Oct 2026
- Health and safety policy for tenders: what buyers expect
What a health and safety policy for UK tenders should contain, the legal duty at five or more employees, and the questions buyers ask in a PSQ.
7 min read · Updated 2 Oct 2026
Policy guides for tenders
What individual policies need to say to satisfy buyers and evaluators.
- Modern slavery statement vs policy for tenders
The difference between a section 54 modern slavery statement and a modern slavery policy, who needs each, and what public-sector buyers ask suppliers for.
7 min read · Updated 2 Oct 2026
- Quality policy for tenders: what buyers look for
What a quality policy for UK tenders should say, how buyers assess quality without ISO 9001, and what ISO 9001:2026 means for suppliers.
6 min read · Updated 2 Oct 2026
- Whistleblowing policy requirements: what UK employers must include
Is a whistleblowing policy a legal requirement in the UK? Who is expected to have one, what it must include under current law, and what buyers check.
8 min read · Updated 2 Oct 2026
- Environmental policy vs ISO 14001: what do tenders need?
The difference between an environmental policy and ISO 14001 certification, what UK tenders usually accept, and how a Carbon Reduction Plan fits in.
6 min read · Updated 2 Oct 2026
Major contracts: carbon and social value
Extra requirements for larger central government contracts.
- PPN 006 Carbon Reduction Plan explained
What PPN 006 requires from a Carbon Reduction Plan: when it applies, net zero by 2050, Scope 1, 2 and five Scope 3 categories, sign-off and publication.
7 min read · Updated 2 Oct 2026
- Social value in tenders: PPN 002 and PPN 026 explained
How social value is weighted in UK central government tenders under PPN 002, what changes with PPN 026 from January 2027, and how SMEs can answer well.
7 min read · Updated 2 Oct 2026
Need the policies themselves?
Browse all 39 tender-ready templates, compare your options, or get the complete bundle.
General information, not legal advice. Individual tenders set their own requirements; always check the procurement documents. We're not affiliated with any accreditation scheme mentioned.