Quick facts: eTendersNI is managed by the Central Procurement Directorate (CPD). Publishing threshold: £30,000 for goods and services. Above-threshold NI contracts also appear on Find a Tender. Used by all 9 NI executive departments, all 11 district councils, 6 Health and Social Care Trusts, and a wide range of NI public bodies. PSIP aggregates eTendersNI live — all NI contracts appear in your dashboard and daily alerts.
What is eTendersNI?
eTendersNI (etendersni.gov.uk) is the Northern Ireland government's official e-procurement system, managed by the Central Procurement Directorate (CPD) within the Department of Finance. It serves as the primary portal for NI public sector contract opportunities — the Northern Ireland equivalent of Contracts Finder for England or Public Contracts Scotland for Scotland.
The portal publishes contract notices, award notices, and other procurement documents from NI government departments, district councils, health and social care trusts, and a wide range of other NI public bodies. Supplier registration is free, and the portal provides email alerts, document access, and online tendering functionality.
What is published on eTendersNI?
Contract notices
Open procurement opportunities currently accepting expressions of interest or full tender responses from suppliers.
Award notices
Confirmed contract awards showing the winning supplier, contract value, and duration.
Dynamic purchasing systems
NI-specific DPS setups for categories such as construction consultancy, professional services, and healthcare supplies.
Framework opportunities
NI collaborative frameworks managed by CPD and other central purchasing bodies, covering categories from IT to facilities management.
Prior information notices
Advance notices of upcoming procurement activity, increasingly used under the Procurement Act 2023 requirements.
Key publishing thresholds
eTendersNI minimum threshold
£30,000
Goods and services above this value must be published. Many buyers publish below this voluntarily.
Find a Tender threshold (NI)
~£139,688
Above-threshold NI contracts must also appear on Find a Tender in addition to eTendersNI.
Works threshold
~£5.37m
Construction and works contracts above this value require Find a Tender publication.
Light touch regime
£663,540
Health, social and education services have a higher threshold before full Find a Tender requirements apply.
Who publishes on eTendersNI?
NI Government Departments
DAERA, DfC (Communities), DoH (Health), DE (Education), DoJ (Justice), DfE (Economy), DfI (Infrastructure)
The 9 NI executive departments procure a wide range of goods and services — IT, professional services, research, facilities management, construction.
NI District Councils
11 councils including Belfast City Council, Derry City & Strabane, Antrim & Newtownabbey
All 11 NI councils use eTendersNI for contracts covering waste management, parks, housing, planning, leisure, and corporate services.
Health & Social Care Trusts
Belfast HSC Trust, South Eastern, Northern, Western, Southern, NHSCT
The 6 HSC Trusts are among the largest public sector buyers in NI — clinical supplies, facilities, IT, professional services and construction.
NI Public Bodies & ALBs
NI Water, NI Housing Executive, Public Health Agency, Education Authority
A large number of NI arm's-length bodies and sponsored bodies publish contracts on eTendersNI, often for specialist or sector-specific requirements.
Universities & Further Education
Queen's University Belfast, Ulster University, Belfast Met
NI higher and further education institutions publish research, IT, estates, and professional services contracts through eTendersNI.
eTendersNI vs Find a Tender — what is the difference?
The two portals serve different purposes and it is important to monitor both:
NI-specific portal covering all NI contracts above £30,000. Includes below-threshold NI contracts that will never appear on Find a Tender. Used by all NI buyers for the full procurement lifecycle.
UK-wide portal covering above-threshold contracts from all four nations including Northern Ireland. NI contracts above ~£139,688 appear here, but below-threshold NI contracts do not. Essential for cross-UK procurement visibility.
PSIP aggregates both portals — so every NI contract, whether above or below threshold, appears in your dashboard once. No duplication, no gaps.
How to use eTendersNI effectively
Register your company
Register at etendersni.gov.uk with your Companies House number or DUNS number. This is free and gives you access to tender documents, award notices, and email alerts from NI buyers.
Set up category alerts
Configure email alerts for the CPV codes and buyer types most relevant to your business. eTendersNI will notify you when matching contracts are published.
Use PSIP for cross-portal coverage
eTendersNI alerts only cover that one portal. Use PSIP to receive daily alerts combining eTendersNI with Find a Tender, Contracts Finder, PCS Scotland, Sell2Wales, eTendersNI in one consolidated digest.
Track NI contract awards
Use PSIP's award data to research which suppliers currently hold NI public sector contracts, what values are involved, and when contracts are due for renewal — ahead of re-tenders being published.
Frequently asked questions
What is eTendersNI?
eTendersNI is the official procurement portal for Northern Ireland's public sector. It is managed by the Central Procurement Directorate (CPD) within the Department of Finance, and is used by NI government departments, district councils, health and social care trusts, and other NI public bodies to publish contract opportunities and award notices.
What is the threshold for publishing on eTendersNI?
The general publishing threshold on eTendersNI is £30,000 (incl. VAT) for goods and services. Contracts above the UK procurement threshold (approximately £139,688 for goods and services) must also be published on Find a Tender. Many NI public bodies publish contracts voluntarily below £30,000.
Who publishes on eTendersNI?
eTendersNI is used by NI government departments (DAERA, DfC, DoH, DE, DoJ, DfE, DfI), Northern Ireland's 11 district councils, the 6 Health and Social Care Trusts, Public Health Agency, NI Housing Executive, NI Water, universities, and a range of NI arm's-length bodies and public bodies.
Do NI contracts also appear on Find a Tender?
Yes. Above-threshold Northern Ireland contracts (generally above £139,688 for goods and services) must be published on Find a Tender as well as eTendersNI. PSIP aggregates both portals, so above-threshold NI contracts are captured from Find a Tender and below-threshold NI contracts are captured directly from eTendersNI.
How do I register on eTendersNI?
Suppliers register at etendersni.gov.uk by creating an account and entering company details including Companies House number or DUNS number. Registration is free. Once registered, you can receive alerts for contract opportunities matching your business profile.
Does PSIP include eTendersNI contracts?
Yes. PSIP aggregates eTendersNI as a live data source alongside Find a Tender, Contracts Finder, Public Contracts Scotland, Sell2Wales, eTendersNI. All NI contract notices and award notices published on eTendersNI appear in your PSIP dashboard and daily alerts.
What types of contracts are on eTendersNI?
eTendersNI publishes the full range of public sector procurement — construction and infrastructure, IT and digital services, facilities management, professional services, healthcare supplies, education services, and more. NI Health and Social Care Trusts are major buyers of clinical and non-clinical supplies through the portal.
Get eTendersNI contracts in your daily alert
PSIP aggregates eTendersNI alongside all six other UK procurement portals. Every NI contract — above and below threshold — delivered to your inbox every morning. 14-day free trial, no credit card required.
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