Procurement at UKEF
Source: gov.uk (2025-10-08)

How we purchase goods and services.

Introduction to UKEF

UK Export Finance (UKEF) is a UK government ministerial department and the nation’s export credit agency (ECA). We help exporters access working capital and manage the risk of not getting paid by offering a government guarantee, partnering with private sector finance providers to grow UK exports and international trade. You can find more about what we do here (https://www.ukexportfinance.gov.uk/about-us/).

The UKEF Commercial Function helps support the procurement of various goods and services that support in delivery of our strategic aims. UKEF’s key department priorities and objectives are defined within our Business Plan 2024-29 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/662fda6924347c67e8e3cbd5/UKEF_Business_Plan_2024-29_Web.pdf).

As a government department, UKEF’s Commercial Function ensures alignment with procurement legislation, which defines requirements and process related to the award, entry into and management of contracts. The recent establishment of the Procurement Act 2023 (https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/54/contents) provides new legislation that aims to streamline the previous procurement regulations and simplify procurement process to support suppliers bidding for contracts. Further information and webinars to support suppliers understanding of recent changes in legislation can be found here (https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/information-and-guidance-for-suppliers).

The Procurement Act 2023 has expanded the Find a Tender Service (https://www.gov.uk/find-tender) which now acts as the Central Digital Platform for suppliers to register, identify opportunities and gain visibility of various procurement notices related to Procurement (such as details on opportunities, or award of contract). This helps create consistency in approach for government contracts and helps all suppliers benefit by one platform being available to identify potential contracts that relate to their organisation.

Guidance exists for suppliers wishing to register on the central digital platform (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/procurement-act-2023-short-guides/suppliers-how-to-register-your-organisation-and-first-administrator-on-find-a-tender-in-three-easy-steps-html).

UKEF Opportunities

Commercial Pipeline

The UKEF commercial pipeline is refreshed every 12 months.

It contains a forward look for 18 months for projects and anticipated procurements valued at £2,000,000 or more.

View our pipeline of potential activities (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/66265b591cbbb3400ba7e531/UKEF_Published_Pipeline-_April_2024.csv).

Pipeline notices (UK1) for any intended requirement over £2 million are published on Find a Tender. (https://www.gov.uk/find-tender)

Identifying contract opportunities

You can search and apply for contract opportunities on Find a Tender (https://www.gov.uk/find-tender) (the central digital platform). Suppliers can register their information to receive notification e-mails around opportunities that may be suitable for them (both from UKEF and other contracting authorities).

Find a Tender is also where UKEF will publish notices on early market engagement, which may be of interest to Suppliers.

Frameworks

As a central government department UKEF relies heavily on established commercial tools to support our Procurement, predominately Frameworks provided by Crown Commercial Services (CCS). In analysis completed on live contracts during FY24/25, UKEF determined that over 90% of all sourcing was via Frameworks.

This means a supplier’s easiest route to being able to bid for UKEF Contract opportunities, is through considering Frameworks relevant to their organisations experience and applying for these at the appropriate time (this will depend on each framework).

Supplier can search the Crown Commercial Service (CCS) commercial agreement pipeline (https://www.crowncommercial.gov.uk/agreements/upcoming) for upcoming agreements, should you wish to consider offering your services to the public sector.

Small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs)

UKEF publishes an SME action plan, this aims to support SMEs in understanding UKEFs approach to procurement and how we aim to reduce barriers to entry for these suppliers. It details specific actions UKEF will be taking over the next three years, with progress reported annually against the actions in the plan.

Alongside UKEF’s SME action plan, the Small and Medium Business Hub (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/small-and-medium-business-hub) is a dedicated space to help SMEs looking to work with the government. Here you will find links to other departmental action plans and centralised guidance on bidding for government work.

UKEF purchase order Terms and Conditions

Find guidance on UKEF’s purchase order Terms and Conditions (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/ukef-purchase-order-conditions-of-contract)

Contact us

We hope this page provides useful links and context to how UKEF Commercial team supports and delivers procurement activity.

Should you have any further questions, please do contact our team at: xxx@xxx.xx (mailto:xxx@xxx.xx)