Welsh councils, health boards, housing associations and other public bodies spend over £10 billion a year on goods, services and works. Since 25 March 2026 they buy under new Welsh rules as well as the UK Procurement Act, and those rules reward firms that can show what they do for their community and their staff.
Welsh public bodies advertise on Sell2Wales, the Welsh Government's free procurement portal. Many then run the tender itself on eTenderWales or another e-tendering system named in the notice, where you download the documents and submit your bid. Higher-value notices also appear on Find a Tender, so every open Welsh tender we can see, of any size, is listed here by trade.
Most Welsh notices don't say whether a contract suits small firms, so lists that filter on that flag show almost nothing from Wales. Judge each one on its size and what it asks for. Some smaller jobs appear only on Sell2Wales, so set up its email alerts for your trade too.
Less competition than you might think. Open competitions run by Welsh public bodies drew a median of 4 bids, and 28% drew two or fewer (284 competitions with a published bid count on Find a Tender, June to October 2026). Across all UK open competitions the figures are 5 bids and 23%. The figures and the method.
The Social Partnership and Public Procurement (Wales) Act 2023 gives the main Welsh public bodies "socially responsible procurement" duties: they have to buy in a way that improves social, environmental, economic and cultural well-being, from planning through to managing the contract. In practice, for a supplier:
Have short, honest answers ready, with a number where you can: apprentices taken on, local spend, miles saved. How buyers score this kind of question.
The bodies covered by the new duties must publish a contracts register, as well as their procurement objectives and strategy. A register shows who holds each contract and when it ends, which tells you what's coming back to market and when to introduce yourself. Contracts ending soon across the UK, and who holds them.
Many Welsh notices are bilingual, and Welsh public bodies work under Welsh language standards. If your firm can deliver its service in Welsh, say so in your bid: for services delivered to the public, buyers may ask about it.
Business Wales Tendering offers free support to small and medium-sized firms in Wales: how public buying works, how to use the Welsh e-tendering systems, workshops, and one-to-one advice on a specific tender or framework. It's worth a call before your first big bid.
Found a Welsh tender that might suit you? Send me the link. I'll tell you what it asks for and whether it's worth your time. It's free.
Email [email protected] · Welsh tenders open now · Should we bid? checklist
This guide is general information, not legal advice. The 2026 rules are new and guidance is still developing: always read the buyer's own documents and the current Welsh Government guidance.