A message from the Business Secretary: Supplying the public sector after the end of the transition

Please see below a letter from the Business Secretary, Rt Hon Alok Sharma MP.

"Over the last few weeks, I have written to you about the changes coming from 1 January 2021 and I want to thank those of you who have already taken steps to prepare.

If you have not started preparing yet, you need to start now. You can find out what actions you may need to take by using the checker tool at gov.uk/transition and keep up to date with regular business readiness bulletins too.

With the end of the transition period now 36 days away, it is very important that your business is ready for our new relationship with the EU. In this week’s letter, I want to focus on new rules regarding public procurement.

The way that opportunities to supply the UK public sector are advertised is about to change. From 23:00 on 31 December 2020, we will publish information on public sector contract opportunities in the UK, on the new Find a Tender Service (FTS):

1. FTS is free to use and replaces the role of Tenders Electronic Daily, the Official Journal of the EU (OJEU/TED) for procurements in the UK.

2. FTS will work alongside existing procurement portals such as Contracts Finder, MOD Defence Contracts Online, Public Contracts Scotland, Sell2Wales and eTendersNI which can be used to access a wide range of opportunities to supply the public sector.

3. Existing Contracts Finder account holders will be able to use the same login credentials for Find a Tender. You can register now in preparation for its launch on 31 December.

If you wish to access public sector contract opportunities in the EU, you may continue to do so via OJEU/TED. Information about procurements launched by UK contracting authorities before 23:00 on 31 December 2020 will be available via OJEU/TED or the existing portals mentioned above. Further guidance is available here. Enquiries can be directed to info@crowncommercial.gov.uk

During these turbulent times, I would like to take the opportunity to thank you for everything you are doing to prepare for our new trading relationship with the EU. Making changes now will ensure you are ready to take advantage of the new legal and economic freedoms that being an independent trading nation will bring.

Yours sincerely,

Rt Hon Alok Sharma MP

Secretary of State for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy"