UK procurement: the notices that actually warn you before tender
Want the earliest warning that a UK opportunity is coming? Look for UK1, UK2, and UK3. Those are the main pre-tender signals, while UK4 is where the tender is formally live, not just forming.[1][2][3]
UK2 is especially useful because it shows the buyer is consulting the market before choosing what to buy. But by itself it still does not reveal a locked renewal date or a confirmed incumbent flip. It is an early signal, not a final decision.[7][8]
Once UK4 appears, the opportunity is live. That confirms the tender has arrived, but it is later in the lifecycle than UK1 to UK3. Awards and direct award pre-notification can help identify the intended or current supplier, yet they are not reliable recompete signals on their own.[9][10][11][12]
After award, contract signature and change or modification notices are post-award execution markers. TED says change notices correct or update prior information, and contract modifications happen during execution when no new procurement procedure is needed. Useful context, but not an early-warning trigger.[13][14]
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