Details about cookies on Find a Tender
Find a Tender puts small files (known as ‘cookies’) onto your computer to collect information about how you browse the site. Find out more about the cookies we use, what they’re for and when they expire.
Cookies that measure website use
We use Google Analytics software (Universal Analytics) to collect anonymised information about how you use Find a Tender. We do this to help make sure the site is meeting the needs of its users and to help us make improvements to the site.
We do not allow Google to use or share the data about how you use this site.
Google Analytics stores information about:
- how you got to the site
- the pages you visit on GOV.UK and how long you spend on them
- what you click on while you’re visiting the site
Google Analytics sets the following cookies.
| Name | Purpose | Expires |
|---|---|---|
| _ga | This cookie is used with Google Universal Analytics. This cookie allows Google to track unique users via a client identifier that is randomly generated | 2 years |
| _gat | This cookie is used with Google Universal Analytics. This cookie is used to monitor and track visitors’ behaviour on the site anonymously | 10 minutes |
| _gid | This cookie is used with Google Universal Analytics. This cookie is used to group the user behaviour | 24 hours |
Strictly necessary cookies
Keeping you signed in
When you sign in to the service, we’ll set cookies to keep you signed in as you use the site. These cookies do not store your personal data and are deleted when you close your browser.
| Name | Purpose | Expires |
|---|---|---|
| FT_AUTH | Provides Find a Tender with your account details once you’ve signed in | When you close your browser |
| FT_IDP_TIMEOUT | Keeps you logged in to the Supplier Registration Service (used for single sign-on) | When you close your browser |
| FT_PAGE_TIMEOUT | Saves the date/time of the user’s last activity on the site | When you close your browser |
| FT_PAGE_LASTPOLL | Saves the date/time of the last check to see if the user should remain signed in to the site | When you close your browser |
| FT_PAGE_ACTIVE | Saves the outcome of the last check to see if the user should remain signed in to the site | When you close your browser |
Banner messages and preferences
You may see banners when you visit Find a Tender inviting you to select your cookie preferences. We’ll set cookies so that your computer knows you’ve seen such messages and not to show them again, and also to store your settings.
| Name | Purpose | Expires |
|---|---|---|
| FT_COOKIES_ PREFERENCES_SET | Lets us know that you’ve saved your cookie consent settings | 1 year |
| FT_LANGUAGE | Saves your preferred language for use of the site if not English | 10 years |
| FT_USER_RESEARCH | Prevents user research banner from appearing if user has submitted form | 10 years |
| FT_BANNER_CLOSE | Prevents user research banner from appearing if close button is used | 28 days |
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