Public-sector cleaning contracts are advertised through two government portals and awarded under the Procurement Act 2023: Contracts Finder for lower-value work and Find a Tender for high-value work, with much soft-services cleaning also called off through frameworks. This guide maps the whole route from opportunity to award.
How public bodies buy cleaning
Councils, NHS Trusts, schools, universities and central-government departments all procure cleaning through regulated, transparent competition. Since 24 February 2025, that competition runs under the Procurement Act 2023, which replaced the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 with a single framework emphasising value and openness. Opportunities are published on public portals so any qualifying supplier can bid.
The two portals and their thresholds
Lower and mid-value opportunities go on Contracts Finder — from £12,000 including VAT for central government and £30,000 for councils and NHS Trusts. High-value contracts, usually above £139,688 including VAT, are advertised on the Find a Tender Service, which replaced the EU's OJEU after Brexit. Knowing which applies tells you where to look and what scrutiny to expect.
Frameworks: the RM6378 route
A great deal of public cleaning is bought through frameworks rather than one-off tenders. The main FM framework is Crown Commercial Service RM6378, where cleaning sits in Lot 3 (Soft FM); buyers call off by further competition or direct award. Frameworks shorten timescales while keeping competition compliant.
What public buyers require of cleaning suppliers
Public buyers apply demanding prequalification: Employers' Liability insurance (compulsory, £5 million minimum), Public Liability (commonly £5 million), SafeContractor or CHAS accreditation, often ISO 9001/14001/45001, and correct staff vetting — DBS in England and Wales, Disclosure Scotland PVG, and AccessNI in Northern Ireland. Many mandate the real Living Wage (£13.45 UK, £14.80 London). Meeting all of this across an estate is where a national provider has the edge.
Winning and delivering public work
Winning means answering scored questions with evidence and pricing transparently; delivering means auditable standards and reliable cover. Read how to win cleaning contracts, then get an accurate fixed monthly quote to benchmark a compliant price.
UK public cleaning procurement routes
| Route | Value / trigger | Cleaning relevance |
|---|---|---|
| Contracts Finder | £12k (central gov) / £30k (councils, NHS) inc VAT | Lower and mid-value opportunities |
| Find a Tender Service | Usually above £139,688 inc VAT | High-value, multi-site contracts |
| CCS RM6378 framework | Call-off by competition or direct award | Cleaning in Lot 3 (Soft FM) |
| Governing law | Procurement Act 2023 (from 24 Feb 2025) | Applies across all public routes |