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What public buyers pay, by trade

Before you price a tender, it helps to know what buyers have actually paid for similar work. This page summarises 19,999 UK public contract awards from the last 6 months that state a value, taken from the award notices on Find a Tender and Contracts Finder. Updated 31 October 2026.

How to use it: these are whole-contract values, often covering several years, so divide by the contract length before comparing with an annual price. The best guide is always what the same buyer paid last time. Search the buyer's past awards, or ask me for a go/no-go, which includes a price check. More on method: how to price a public sector tender.

Summary

TradeAwardsMiddle valueTypical range (middle half)Won by SMEsTypical bids
IT and software3,245£178,675£72,000 to £510,00041%5
Business services2,871£81,795£13,450 to £300,00057%6
Building and construction2,277£226,582£82,891 to £773,32259%5
Transport2,236£64,111£25,128 to £162,68128%7
Architecture, engineering and surveying1,307£148,863£60,100 to £400,00045%7
Health and social care1,082£395,828£119,152 to £1.0m49%4
Training and education1,043£84,000£33,000 to £347,16461%4
Machinery and equipment919£200,000£69,500 to £545,10653%4
Repair and maintenance756£217,506£78,633 to £659,06252%4
Vehicles and equipment610£191,514£63,306 to £572,18837%3
Medical equipment and supplies568£200,000£67,672 to £712,20335%5
Cleaning, waste and environment540£360,634£115,734 to £979,91652%5
Research441£164,880£75,000 to £374,71137%6
Finance and insurance329£191,250£61,323 to £670,36919%4
Grounds and landscaping214£263,825£82,487 to £614,22377%5
Catering181£1.0m£548,332 to £2.0m33%4
Community services159£281,005£114,742 to £716,83338%3
Public services121£250,898£75,500 to £900,00041%3
Post Office branches and postal112£170,670£47,222 to £404,65033%3
Property112£226,831£56,630 to £920,00044%4
Arts, culture and events73£125,000£48,000 to £296,80253%3

"Typical bids" is the middle number of bids received in open or selective competitions with a published count (one figure per procurement, Find a Tender). Direct awards and call-offs are left out.

"Won by SMEs" counts awards where the buyer recorded the winner as a small or medium-sized firm. Many notices don't say, so the true share is likely higher. Values between £1,000 and £5 million only, to leave out placeholders and very large frameworks.

IT and software

3,245 awards. Half were between £72,000 and £510,000, and the middle one was £178,675. Recent awards in that range:

Business services

2,871 awards. Half were between £13,450 and £300,000, and the middle one was £81,795. Recent awards in that range:

Building and construction

2,277 awards. Half were between £82,891 and £773,322, and the middle one was £226,582. Recent awards in that range:

Transport

2,236 awards. Half were between £25,128 and £162,681, and the middle one was £64,111. Recent awards in that range:

Architecture, engineering and surveying

1,307 awards. Half were between £60,100 and £400,000, and the middle one was £148,863. Recent awards in that range:

Health and social care

1,082 awards. Half were between £119,152 and £1.0m, and the middle one was £395,828. Recent awards in that range:

Training and education

1,043 awards. Half were between £33,000 and £347,164, and the middle one was £84,000. Recent awards in that range:

Machinery and equipment

919 awards. Half were between £69,500 and £545,106, and the middle one was £200,000. Recent awards in that range:

Repair and maintenance

756 awards. Half were between £78,633 and £659,062, and the middle one was £217,506. Recent awards in that range:

Vehicles and equipment

610 awards. Half were between £63,306 and £572,188, and the middle one was £191,514. Recent awards in that range:

Medical equipment and supplies

568 awards. Half were between £67,672 and £712,203, and the middle one was £200,000. Recent awards in that range:

Cleaning, waste and environment

540 awards. Half were between £115,734 and £979,916, and the middle one was £360,634. Recent awards in that range:

Research

441 awards. Half were between £75,000 and £374,711, and the middle one was £164,880. Recent awards in that range:

Finance and insurance

329 awards. Half were between £61,323 and £670,369, and the middle one was £191,250. Recent awards in that range:

Grounds and landscaping

214 awards. Half were between £82,487 and £614,223, and the middle one was £263,825. Recent awards in that range:

Catering

181 awards. Half were between £548,332 and £2.0m, and the middle one was £1.0m. Recent awards in that range:

Community services

159 awards. Half were between £114,742 and £716,833, and the middle one was £281,005. Recent awards in that range:

Public services

121 awards. Half were between £75,500 and £900,000, and the middle one was £250,898. Recent awards in that range:

Post Office branches and postal

112 awards. Half were between £47,222 and £404,650, and the middle one was £170,670. Recent awards in that range:

Property

112 awards. Half were between £56,630 and £920,000, and the middle one was £226,831. Recent awards in that range:

Arts, culture and events

73 awards. Half were between £48,000 and £296,802, and the middle one was £125,000. Recent awards in that range:

Pricing a particular tender? Send me the link. The free go/no-go includes what that buyer and similar buyers paid for comparable work.

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Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Values are as published by buyers and may include options and extensions.