Bid for Scotland Public Contracts

Bid for Scotland Public Contracts

If you're looking to win work from the public sector in Scotland, you’ll want to start by registering with Public Contracts Scotland (PCS). This is where councils, the NHS, housing associations, and other public bodies in Scotland publish their tenders.

At Thornton & Lowe, we’ve been helping businesses across Scotland find and win public contracts for more than a decade. We’ve had a staffed office in Fife for over 10 years, and during that time, we’ve supported hundreds of Scottish-based companies with their bids.

Whether it’s forestry, deer management, waste services, facilities management, construction, recruitment or healthcare, we’ve worked across all sectors to help suppliers win public work through well-written and fully compliant tender submissions.

Where to find Scotland Public Contracts

Most public sector tenders in Scotland are advertised on:

• Public Contracts Scotland (PCS) – publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk
  It’s free to register, and once you’re set up, you can search for tenders, set up alerts, and download documents.

Some higher-value contracts may also appear on:

• Find a Tender – for UK-wide public procurement
• Contracts Finder – mainly used by English public sector buyers, but occasionally used by Scottish organisations too

These platforms are key to keeping track of what’s coming up and planning your pipeline of opportunities.

Tender Pipeline, collates notices from all of these sites, plus others and provide tender alerts, buyer and supplier reports.

Who buys through PCS?

A wide range of public sector buyers in Scotland use PCS, including:

• Local authorities and councils
• NHS Scotland and health boards
• Scottish Government departments and agencies
• Universities and colleges
• Housing associations
• Government-backed organisations
• Emergency services

No matter what sector you work in, there’s likely to be an opportunity for you. From one-off contracts to long-term frameworks and DPS agreements, Scotland public contracts are open to businesses of all sizes – including SMEs and newer suppliers.

How Thornton & Lowe can support you

We know bidding can be time-consuming and sometimes frustrating – especially if you're trying to juggle it alongside running your business. That’s where we come in.

We offer practical, hands-on bid support, including:

• Bid writing and reviewing tenders
• Finding and tracking opportunities
• Bid training and strategy
• Managing the full bid process
• Helping you win a place on public sector frameworks and DPSs

Because we’ve worked closely with Scottish clients for many years, we understand the PCS portal and what public buyers in Scotland are looking for. We tailor every bid to suit the contract, making sure it meets all the requirements and stands out.

Start bidding for Scotland public contracts

If you’re ready to go after public sector work in Scotland – or just want to talk it through – we’re here to help. Whether you’re bidding for the first time or improving your win rate, we’ll work with you to make the process as straightforward as possible.

Get in touch for a no-obligation chat, and let’s see how we can help you win your next public contract.

Using the Public Contracts Scotland Website to Find Opportunities

Public Contracts Scotland (PCS) is your main portal to find public sector opportunities across Scotland. You do not even need an account to begin your search. Simply visit the PCS website and click "Search Notices". You can search using keywords related to your business, buying organisations, locations or even CPV (Common Procurement Vocabulary) codes, which classify goods and services​.

Creating a PCS Alert Profile

To simplify the bidding process, you can set up an Alert Profile on PCS. This free tool sends you email notifications whenever new contract notices match your chosen keywords, categories, or locations. You can manage this through your supplier profile, adding categories or searching directly by keywords to select relevant CPV codes. Setting geographic areas also ensures alerts match your supply regions​.

Promoting Your Company Through PCS Supplier Finder

Supplier Finder is another useful PCS tool. Buyers in Scotland use this directory for lower-value quotes (Quick Quotes). Completing a Supplier Finder profile lets you highlight your capabilities clearly, improving your chances of being directly invited to bid. You can include detailed company information, a logo, website link, and keyword descriptions to help buyers find your services more easily​.

How Quick Quotes Work on PCS

Quick Quotes are electronic requests from buyers for low-value requirements. They're not publicly advertised; instead, buyers select suppliers directly through the Supplier Finder directory. You'll receive an invitation by email if you're selected. Simply log in, review the details, and submit your quotation securely using the PCS Postbox. Regularly updating your Supplier Finder and Alert Profiles increases your chances of being invited to submit Quick Quotes​.

Responding to SPD Requests

The Single Procurement Document (SPD) helps public authorities assess suppliers' suitability. If a notice requires an SPD, you’ll access this through the PCS Postbox. You'll fill it in electronically via an easy, step-by-step online process. PCS also lets you store an SPD profile, so future responses can be quicker, helping you efficiently respond to multiple public contract opportunities across Scotland​.

Understanding the PCS Postbox Submission System

PCS uses an online Postbox facility, ensuring secure submission of tender responses, SPD documents, and Quick Quotes. All submissions remain confidential and locked until the response deadline. After submission, you receive confirmation and a unique reference number for your records. Importantly, you can amend your submission until the deadline if necessary. Being familiar with Postbox usage is important to avoid technical delays at crucial submission points​.

Using PCS - Tender for Scotland Public Contracts

PCS-Tender is a separate tendering platform often used by Scottish public authorities for tender exercises, linked directly with PCS. You’ll see clearly on PCS notices if you must respond via PCS-Tender. Pairing your PCS account with PCS-Tender makes it easy to manage bids. Once paired, you can seamlessly move between PCS and PCS-Tender without repeated logins, helping you efficiently keep track of all opportunities and submissions​​.

Categories of Public Sector Procurement in Scotland

Understanding public sector procurement categories can also help target your efforts:

• Category A: National contracts applicable across Scotland (e.g., stationery, utilities).

• Category B: Sector-specific contracts for Local Government, NHS, Central Government, and Education (e.g., medical supplies for NHS).

• Category C1: Regional collaboration contracts, such as those managed by local council consortia.

• Category C: Individual organisations managing their procurement independently​.

Knowing where your products or services fit into these categories helps you focus your resources and bidding strategy more effectively.

Will the Procurement Act 2023 Apply to Scotland?

The Procurement Act 2023 will change how public contracts are awarded in the UK, but its impact on Scotland public contracts is limited. The Act will not apply to most Scottish public bodies, including the Scottish Government, local authorities, universities, colleges, and registered social landlords. These organisations will continue to follow the Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2015 and other existing Scottish procurement rules.

The 2023 Act does apply in Scotland to UK-wide public bodies and Scottish authorities whose functions are entirely reserved to Westminster. For example, a UK Government department operating in Scotland would use the new rules, while a Scottish council would not.

This means two procurement regimes will run side by side in Scotland:

• Scottish Procurement Regulations – for devolved Scottish authorities.

• Procurement Act 2023 – for UK Government procurements and reserved functions.

This split could create complications for cross-border contracts or where more than one awarding body is involved. To address this, Section 115 of the new Act allows both the UK and Scottish Governments to make changes that support joint working on shared frameworks or contracts.

For suppliers, this means:

• If you’re bidding to Scottish public bodies, nothing has changed – the rules and PCS portal remain the same.

• If you’re bidding to UK departments operating in Scotland or cross-border contracts, you will need to understand the new Procurement Act 2023 rules.

• If you supply to both systems, you may need to adapt your bidding approach and processes depending on which regime the buyer follows.

At Thornton & Lowe, we help businesses manage this split and stay compliant with both UK and Scottish rules. If you’re unsure which applies or need help preparing your tenders under either system, we’re happy to talk you through it.