Under the new Procurement Act, any authority expecting to spend over £100 million a year on works, services or goods had to publish a Pipeline Notice. That deadline was day 56 of the new financial year: Monday, 26 May 2025.

These notices spotlight where authorities plan to spend over £2m in the next 18 months, signalling clear buyer intent and where big public investment is heading. It’s a forward look at where suppliers can win serious work.

Our most recent deep dive into these releases focused on the central government's digital procurement plans in 2024. While the 2024 report captured the state of play at the time, the process surrounding commercial pipeline notices has changed.

As of this week, 3,627 pipeline notices were listed on Stotles' platform. After removing frameworks, 2,671 of these pipeline notices highlighting commercial opportunities worth over £80 billion have been scraped and made available to suppliers on Stotles’ sales enablement platform.

By the end of this report you will have the tools to:

• Stay ahead of the market with pre-procurement dynamic tracking: See who’s driving the largest pipelines and where suppliers should focus their attention.
• Spot where the big wins are with top pipeline stats for government: Which areas of public sector and specific buyers have the largest pipelines.
• Take the next steps. Capturing the £80 billion in upcoming opportunities: The biggest spending plans on the horizon and how to turn them into sales pipeline.

Being able to track committed but not-yet-live opportunities in one place helps suppliers plan ahead and engage the right buyers at the right time.

The Procurement Act introduced new procurement notice types, including Planned Procurement Notices (PPNs) and Preliminary Market Engagement (PME) notices replacing the previous Prior Information Notices (PINs).

In addition to the Pipeline Notice (UK01), the Preliminary Market Engagement Notice (UK02) plays a critical role in the procurement process for major contracts.

This notice indicates when a contracting authority is exploring the market prior to launching a tender, providing suppliers with an early opportunity to engage and contribute to the dialogue.

The Planned Procurement Notice (UK03), while optional, can also offer a strategic advantage. When published between 40 and 365 days in advance of the Tender Notice (UK04), it enables contracting authorities to reduce minimum tendering timescales, giving suppliers more time to prepare and respond effectively.

To win in the public sector, you need to know who’s spending and what they are buying. Over the next 18 months, 2,671 high-value public sector contracts are set to hit the market.

Themes we noticed include digital products and services leads the way, featuring in nearly half of all pipeline notices. Such as DWP’s debt platform to National Highways’ digital asset system.

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) and adjacent departments have a large pipeline of security and technology-forward projects following the recently announced increase in defence spending. Demand for emerging tech, like AI and cybersecuity, is also rising fast, and not just tied to the Ministry of Defence.

Buying authorities like the NHS are seeking end-to-end cyber protection, AI insights and smarter data use. New opportunities include geospatial tools and NHS population health systems.

The table below ranks the public sector buyer types by the total value of their upcoming pipeline.

‍

‍

Below is a snapshot of the most active buyer types based on focusing on upcoming opportunities and total value, and digital procurement trends linked to each.

Central government

There is a total of £42.8 billion up for grabs over the next 18 months in central government. This is split across 47 different end-user organisations, where the top 5 buyers account for 301 notices.

‍

Upcoming projects

Click through to see more on the below notices confirmed to come to market over the next 18 months.

Local authorities

While not as valuable as central government, local authorities have the most by way of volume with a total of 1,419 contracts coming up over the next 18 months. This amounts to a total value of £26.39 billion.

‍Upcoming projects

Click through to see more on the below notices confirmed to come to market over the next 18 months.

Other areas of investment

Outside of central and local authorities, healthcare, blue light services, education and investments into housing and utilities trail by way of total value, but still provide significant opportunities for suppliers targeting these specific areas.

In total, these buyer types amount to £11.6 billion across 772 notices. This section breaks down the top buyers for each based on total contract value.

Healthcare

302 contracts worth £5.6 billion. NHS England dominates here taking up £3.23 billion across 49 contracts, meaning there are plenty of smaller contracts to be won across regional buyers.

Excluding NHS England, below are the top 5 buyers showing intent across healthcare based on the commercial pipeline.

Blue Light

Similar to NHS England, the Mayors Office for Policing and Crime (MOPAC) accounts for the majority of the £2.75 billion total pipeline value and the 181 pipeline volume.

The below chart has excluded MOPAC and shows the top 5 buyers based on value.

Education

74 contracts showcasing a value of £962 million is set to come to market for education. Student Loans Company (SLC) leads the way in total value for education with a total value of £898 million coming up.

The below chart has excluded SLC and shows the top 5 buyers based on value.

Other

Investments for housing, utilities and other projects not tied to the above categories were also published, totalling £2.3 billion across 215 contracts,

‍

With £80 billion in opportunities across central government departments set to go live in 2025/26, the time to build your strategy and qualify your pipeline is now.

Here’s how you can make the most of these opportunities:

1. First, identify expiring contracts below £2 million

While major pipelines reflect contracts over £2 million, countless smaller, competitive opportunities are easier to locate.

• Pinpoint expiring contracts: Track those matching your company’s keywords and expiring in the next 6–12 months.
• Target competitor expiries: Discover which competitor-held contracts are nearing their end to position your business as the preferred supplier.
• Identify partnership opportunities: Look for embedded suppliers whose expiring contracts indicate potential collaboration.

2. Qualify opportunities

Securing public sector contracts starts with effective qualification.

• Identify previous suppliers: Understand the incumbent’s history and learn the buyer's procurement preferences.
• Understand buyer requirements: Study similar historical contracts to gauge the necessary requirements and fine-tune your bid strategy.
• Engage with decision-makers: Go beyond procurement contacts and reach key decision-makers directly to influence pre-tender conversations.

3. Engage with real-time pipeline notices

The Procurement Act’s rollout of real-time pipeline notices means updates will come faster than ever.

• Monitor live pipeline updates: Get alerts when contracts you’re interested in are announced or updated.
• Search departmental documents: Access minutes, funding plans, and strategic announcements to stay one step ahead.
• Spot re-procurements early: Identify expiring contracts well before tender notices are released.

For more information on how to best use Stotles’ platform to begin building pipeline, check out the video tutorial below.

The government’s commercial pipeline represents a £80 billion opportunity for suppliers who are prepared and proactive. With a growing shift to real-time notices, the window to react is getting smaller.

Stotles’ platform equips you with the tools to track tenders, monitor procurement strategies, and engage decision-makers before the competition. Start building your pipeline today and get ahead of the market with Stotles.