📜 UK Contracts Finder Tender Opportunity & Deadline Watch

Open UK public-sector tender opportunities on Contracts Finder as they are published and as their closing dates move: new opportunities, and amendments to the tender deadline, status or value. Keyed on the OCDS contracting process id. This is the PRE-award feed — open opportunities you can still bid for.

Output is one cf_opportunity_record row per result; billing is pay-per-event, the value event being one source check (a $0.02 start fee per run, then $0.10 per source check plus one $0.10 source check per run that reads the source). Source: www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk.

📊 Sample Output

Real rows from run S2sIFfRHZctmMnpUE on build 0.1.8 (2026-09-17), the same input as the Quick start below — every value is as the source published it (emails masked, long text shortened):

ocid	release_id	buyer_name	buyer_id	deadline	published
ocds-b5fd17-17fb8ba7-837c-4021-bc88-22b7742dc498	1a6c5dc0-f6ec-4ea4-b7b5-78c016c14402-908273	LondonEnergy Ltd	GB-CFS-294569	2026-07-31T17:30:00+01:00	2026-07-24T17:54:35+01:00
ocds-b5fd17-3a6c63b7-c987-4669-bd06-c704aff99eb7	082c1aaa-8e2d-4f70-a29d-847024e92258-908264	London Borough of Haringey	GB-CFS-336953	2026-07-30T17:14:23+01:00	2026-07-24T16:19:18+01:00
ocds-b5fd17-5224f00e-efa8-432c-b413-034ccae4456a	54ad4968-f66d-410c-b893-561904369802-908260	London Borough of Haringey	GB-CFS-336951	2026-07-30T16:57:20+01:00	2026-07-24T16:03:55+01:00
ocds-b5fd17-45be82f5-0107-4d2b-88e6-b15c60759907	c137566d-bebf-48af-89e0-fade82e1d10c-908256	THE NATIONAL TRUST FOR PLACES OF HISTORIC INTEREST OR NATURAL BEAUTY	GB-SRS-sid4gov.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/BTvR42rM	2026-08-28T17:00:00+01:00	2026-07-24T16:00:32+01:00
ocds-b5fd17-1eee43e8-d673-4fac-afe6-25877ffb2da8	36272a5e-dae7-4167-b2d1-849027a892dc-908254	London Borough of Haringey	GB-CFS-336020	2026-08-09T16:34:37+01:00	2026-07-24T15:47:10+01:00
ocds-b5fd17-6e39dca3-a6bb-46ab-96d2-572fb03484ad	77c1acf0-c661-466c-8133-3f1bf2476498-908179	BIP SOLUTIONS LIMITED	GB-SRS-sid4gov.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/8u5J6V4e	2018-06-20T00:00:00+01:00	2026-07-24T15:23:13+01:00
ocds-b5fd17-3cf0e3be-8feb-44c0-ba77-ac733b4a362c	41511a6f-c9b1-4838-a49b-be6583acb3e8-908225	Diocese of Norwich Education and Academies Trust	GB-CFS-308954	2026-09-03T17:00:00+01:00	2026-07-24T14:27:19+01:00
ocds-b5fd17-63aa772a-cff6-4db8-a477-3c1d4857b19d	1b3a0d5b-9ec4-4624-8e37-647ffcb4f0e6-908210	DN Colleges Group	GB-CFS-313688	2026-08-17T12:00:00+01:00	2026-07-24T13:42:10+01:00

The run finished with the status message: PARTIAL: emitted 10 item(s); ITEM CAP REACHED: max_items (10) kept 10 of 40 tender release(s) read from this window. The rest are not in the baseline and will be reported as new when the cap allows. Raise max_items or na

✅ What you get

Each row is flat JSON with these fields (from the dataset schema and the sample run; a field the source does not publish for a given row is null):

• record_key (string/null) — e.g. cfo:ocds-b5fd17-17fb8ba7-837c-4021-bc88-22b7742dc498
• ocid — e.g. ocds-b5fd17-17fb8ba7-837c-4021-bc88-22b7742dc498
• release_id — e.g. 1a6c5dc0-f6ec-4ea4-b7b5-78c016c14402-908273
• stage — e.g. tender
• title — e.g. RA359497 - Fire Detection & Suppression Sy
• description — e.g. **Please note this is a Market Engagement exercise to attract interest for our u
• buyer_name — e.g. LondonEnergy Ltd
• buyer_id — e.g. GB-CFS-294569
• tender_status — e.g. active
• deadline — e.g. 2026-07-31T17:30:00+01:00
• published — e.g. 2026-07-24T17:54:35+01:00
• value_amount — e.g. 90000
• value_currency — e.g. GBP
• procurement_method — e.g. Open procedure
• category — e.g. goods
• cpv — e.g. 35000000
• document_count — e.g. 1
• notice_url — e.g. https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/1a6c5dc0-f6ec-4ea4-b7b5-78c016
• record_type (string) — e.g. cf_opportunity_record
• delta_type (string/null) — null in every sample row
• delta_kinds (array/null) — null in every sample row

Every run also writes a RUN_RECEIPT record to its key-value store with the source checks it made and the counts it charged — diagnostics never land in the paid dataset.

⚙️ Sample inputs

1. Quick start — the Store example (this is what the sample above came from)

{
  "delta_types": [
    "opportunity-open",
    "deadline-change"
  ],
  "published_from": "2026-07-22",
  "published_to": "2026-07-26",
  "buyer_contains": [],
  "max_items": 10,
  "watch_mode": false,
  "baseline_id": "default"
}

The sample run charged exactly: 1 × $0.02 apify-actor-start + 1 × $0.10 source-check = $0.12 on the Free tier — every delivered row was billed.

2. A smaller, narrowed run

{
  "delta_types": [
    "opportunity-open",
    "deadline-change"
  ],
  "published_from": "2026-07-22",
  "published_to": "2026-07-26",
  "buyer_contains": [],
  "max_items": 5,
  "watch_mode": false,
  "baseline_id": "default"
}

Caps the run at 5 rows — about $0.62 on the Free tier ($0.02 start + $0.10 source check + 5 × $0.10). published_from narrows what the source is asked for.

3. Watch mode on a schedule

{
  "delta_types": [
    "opportunity-open",
    "deadline-change"
  ],
  "published_from": "2026-07-22",
  "published_to": "2026-07-26",
  "buyer_contains": [],
  "max_items": 10,
  "watch_mode": true,
  "baseline_id": "default"
}

The first run seeds a private baseline and emits zero deltas; every later run emits one row per change, billed at $0.10 each plus the $0.10 source check; billed deltas are capped at 500 per run.

🧾 JSON sample record

One real record from run S2sIFfRHZctmMnpUE, exactly as it lands in the dataset (emails masked, long text shortened):

{
  "record_key": "cfo:ocds-b5fd17-17fb8ba7-837c-4021-bc88-22b7742dc498",
  "ocid": "ocds-b5fd17-17fb8ba7-837c-4021-bc88-22b7742dc498",
  "release_id": "1a6c5dc0-f6ec-4ea4-b7b5-78c016c14402-908273",
  "stage": "tender",
  "title": "RA359497 - Fire Detection & Suppression Sy",
  "description": "**Please note this is a Market Engagement exercise to attract interest for our upcoming Tender. If you wish to be invited to participate in the tender please email declaration of interest to [email on record]** Spec: 3. Scope of Works The c",
  "buyer_name": "LondonEnergy Ltd",
  "buyer_id": "GB-CFS-294569",
  "tender_status": "active",
  "deadline": "2026-07-31T17:30:00+01:00",
  "published": "2026-07-24T17:54:35+01:00",
  "value_amount": null,
  "value_currency": null,
  "procurement_method": "Open procedure",
  "category": "goods",
  "cpv": "35000000",
  "document_count": 1,
  "notice_url": "https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/1a6c5dc0-f6ec-4ea4-b7b5-78c016c14402-908273",
  "record_type": "cf_opportunity_record",
  "schema_version": "1.0",
  "output_mode": "preview",
  "preview_cap": 25,
  "preview_truncated": 0
}

🔧 How it works

Transport. Plain HTTPS from the Apify platform, no proxy. Every request carries an identified contact User-Agent.

Charging. Each source check is charged at the moment it is pushed (source-check); a row that fails to charge is not delivered, so the dataset count always equals the charged count. One source-check is charged per run that actually read the source.

Source

UK Contracts Finder OCDS Search API, tender stage (public, logged-out)

• https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Published/Notices/OCDS/Search?stages=tender

Public, logged-out only — no API key, login, cookie or CAPTCHA. OCDS 1.1.

PRE-AWARD

This is the open-opportunity feed: tenders you can still bid for. Awarded contracts are a separate record family in a separate actor.

Delta types

Leave delta_types empty for both. Every delta carries delta_kinds.

value	fires when
opportunity-open	a tender opportunity appears in the window
deadline-change	the closing date, tender status or value changes

How the window is read

The source's default order is not newest-first — an un-windowed request returned releases spanning ten days. So recency comes from published_from / published_to, walked to exhaustion through the OCDS links.next cursor. A run that cannot reach the end of its window reports a named PARTIAL rather than implying it read everything.

Snapshot mode is a PREVIEW

watch_mode: false returns at most 25 records, hard-capped in code.

Watch semantics

First watch run seeds and emits zero deltas. Billed deltas capped at 500 per run. A record leaving the publication window is the window moving, not a withdrawal, and is never reported as one.

Terminal states

NORMAL · SUCCEEDED-0: GENUINE_EMPTY · SUCCEEDED-0 (no change) · PARTIAL · BLOCKED.

What is not done. No login, no cookie or CAPTCHA bypass, no private or personal-account data, no browser automation.

⏰ Set it on a schedule

A single run is a snapshot. The value is the feed: open the actor in Apify Console → Schedules → Create new, add this actor with input 3 above (watch_mode: true), and pick a cadence:

• Daily — 0 7 * * * (07:00 UTC): catch changes within a day.
• Weekly — 0 7 * * 1: a Monday digest.

The baseline persists in a named key-value store between runs, so every scheduled run compares against the last one; use a different baseline_id for independent watches. Schedules can also POST results to a webhook (Console → Integrations).

💰 Pricing example

Event	Free	Bronze	Silver	Gold
Actor Start (apify-actor-start)	$0.02	$0.02	$0.02	$0.02
Source check (source-check)	$0.10	$0.09	$0.08	$0.07

Worked at the live Free-tier price (watch mode, one delta per change):

• 8 source checks: $0.02 start + $0.10 source check + 8 × $0.10 = $0.92
• 25 source checks: $0.02 start + $0.10 source check + 25 × $0.10 = $2.62
• 800 source checks: $0.02 start + $0.10 source check + 800 × $0.10 = $80.12

A run that delivers zero rows charges the $0.02 start fee plus the $0.10 source check (the source was read and reported empty). A BLOCKED run (source refused) fails loud and charges no value event. The start fee is charged once per GB of run memory; the default run memory is 1024 MB.

Yield on the sample run: PARTIAL: emitted 10 item(s); ITEM CAP REACHED: max_items (10) kept 10 of 40 tender release(s) read from this window. The rest are not in the baseline and will be reported as new when the cap allows. R. max_items is a hard ceiling on what is delivered and billed, never a target. Snapshot output is capped at 25 records regardless of the cap you set; watch mode is the full feed.

⚖️ Legal & ToS

This actor reads public, logged-out pages and feeds published by www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk. It collects only what the source publishes to any visitor, identifies itself with a contact User-Agent, and does not access accounts, private data or anything behind authentication. Use the output in line with the source's terms and your local law; the intended use is B2B research and monitoring.

❓ FAQ

Q: Do I need an API key or a login?
A: No. The source (www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk) is read logged-out; the input schema has no key field and the actor carries no secrets.

Q: Why did my run return 0 rows?
A: Read the run's status message. GENUINE_EMPTY means the source was read and had nothing in scope for your input (in watch mode the first run always seeds the baseline and returns zero deltas); BLOCKED means the source refused and the run failed without billing a value event — retry later or narrow the input. A zero-row run bills the start fee plus one source check.

Q: How many rows can one run return?
A: Up to max_items (default 800); snapshot previews stop at 25. Raise the cap for a bigger run; you pay per delivered row.

Q: What does watch mode remember between runs?
A: A private baseline of source-native record ids in a named key-value store (baseline_id names it, so several independent watches can coexist). Each later run diffs the live source against it and emits only changes.

Q: How fresh is the data?
A: Every run reads the source live at run time; nothing is cached between runs except the watch baseline. Put it on a schedule for a continuous feed.

Q: What formats can I export?
A: The dataset downloads as JSON, CSV, Excel, XML or RSS from the run's Dataset tab or the Apify API, and any run can push to a webhook or integration.

Q: How is this different from the other public procurement watches actors?
A: Same output shape and billing model; this one covers www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk. The siblings under Related Actors cover the other sources or slices — run several on one schedule for a combined feed.

🆘 Troubleshooting

• Run FAILED with BLOCKED → the source refused the request or changed its page shape → nothing was billed beyond the start fee; retry after a while, and if it persists open an Issue with the run id.
• Status says CAPPED → your cap (max_items) was reached → raise it for a bigger run.
• Input validation error on start → a field is outside the schema's allowed values → start from the Quick start block and change one field at a time.
• Run TIMED-OUT → a very wide request on a slow day → raise the run timeout in Run options or narrow the input; what was delivered before the timeout is still in the dataset.
• First watch run shows no deltas → expected: it seeds the baseline; changes appear from the second run.

🔗 Related Actors

• UK Contracts Finder Tender Deadline Change Watch — Submission-deadline changes on open UK public-sector tenders
• UK Contracts Finder Incumbent Supplier Repeat-Award Watch — Repeat wins by the suppliers you name. A post-award record — not an opportunity feed
• UK Contracts Finder New Tender Opportunity Watch — New UK public-sector tender opportunities as they are published
• 🇬🇧 UK Find a Tender Watch — Tenders, Awards & Incumbents — Watch UK public procurement from the official Find a Tender OCDS feed: new tenders, award results and incumbent changes as deduplicated, delta-only e…
• UN Tender & Award Watch (UNGM Lifecycle) — Snapshot or watch UN Global Marketplace tenders and awards. Snapshot returns current notices; watch mode reports only what changed since your last ru…
• World Bank Procurement Event Watch — World Bank procurement notices as they publish and change: new notices, contract awards, and status or submission-date changes, keyed on the source-n…
• 🏢 About NexGenData — NexGen Watch is NexGenData's fleet of 256 public monitoring and lookup actors built on official sources, pay-per-result. Browse the catalog at apify.com/nexgenwatch.

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