Key Terms for Public Tenders and Procurement
A
Application Deadline
The application deadline is the cutoff date for submitting participation applications in multi-stage procurement procedures.
AVPQ (Official Prequalification Register)
The AVPQ is Germany's official prequalification directory where companies register verified suitability credentials for public procurement.
Award Criteria
Award criteria are the predefined evaluation factors used by contracting authorities to assess and compare bids and determine the most economically advantageous tender.
Award Deadline
The award deadline is the date by which the contracting authority must make its contract award decision and notify bidders of the outcome.
B
Below-Threshold Procurement Rules (UVgO)
The UVgO is the German regulation governing the award of supply and service contracts below the EU procurement thresholds.
Bid Opening
Bid opening is the formal procedure in which submitted bids are opened, their key details are recorded, and the contents are made available for evaluation.
Bid Submission Deadline
The bid submission deadline is the final date and time by which bidders must submit their offers in a public procurement procedure.
Bid Validity Period
The bid validity period is the timeframe during which a submitted bid remains binding and the bidder is obligated to honor the terms of their offer.
Bidder Questions
Bidder questions are formal inquiries submitted by prospective bidders to clarify aspects of the tender documents during a procurement procedure.
Bill of Quantities / Specifications
The bill of quantities is the detailed document within the tender that itemizes all required goods, services, or works, forming the basis for pricing and evaluation.
Borrowing of Qualifications
Borrowing of qualifications allows a bidder to rely on the capacities of third-party entities to meet suitability requirements in a public procurement procedure.
C
Competitive Dialogue
The competitive dialogue is a procurement procedure for complex projects where the contracting authority engages in structured discussions with candidates to develop suitable solutions.
Concession Award Regulation (KonzVgV)
The KonzVgV is the German regulation governing the award of concession contracts for works and services above the EU threshold.
Contract Award Notice
A contract award notice is the official announcement published after a public contract has been awarded, informing the market about the outcome of the procurement procedure.
Contract Notice
A contract notice is the official public announcement of a procurement procedure, published to invite potential bidders to participate.
Contract Value
The contract value is the estimated total value of a public contract, which determines the applicable procurement rules and thresholds.
Contracting Authority
A contracting authority is the public body that procures goods, services, or works through a formal tendering process under German and EU procurement law.
CPV Codes (Common Procurement Vocabulary)
CPV codes are a standardized classification system used to categorize the subject matter of public contracts across the European Union.
D
Delivery Deadline
The delivery deadline is the date by which the awarded contractor must deliver the goods, complete the services, or finish the works specified in the public contract.
Direct Award
A direct award is a simplified procurement procedure for low-value contracts where the contracting authority can award directly to a single supplier without a formal tender.
Document Request Deadline
The document request deadline is the cutoff date by which interested companies must request the tender documents from the contracting authority.
E
E-Procurement
E-procurement refers to the end-to-end electronic handling of public procurement procedures, from publication through bid submission to contract award.
eForms
eForms are the standardized electronic format for publishing procurement notices across the European Union, replacing the previous TED standard forms.
Electronic Bid Submission
Electronic bid submission is the mandatory digital process for submitting offers in public procurement through certified e-procurement platforms.
Electronic Signature
An electronic signature is a digital authentication mechanism used in e-procurement to verify the identity and intent of bidders submitting offers electronically.
EU Procurement Thresholds
EU procurement thresholds are the contract value limits that determine whether a public procurement must follow EU-wide rules or can be conducted under national below-threshold regulations.
European Single Procurement Document (ESPD)
The ESPD is a standardized self-declaration form used across the EU that allows bidders to provide preliminary proof of suitability in procurement procedures.
EVB-IT (German IT Procurement Contract Templates)
EVB-IT are standardized contract templates used by German public authorities for the procurement of IT goods and services.
G
GAEB (Common Format for Construction BoQ)
GAEB is the standardized German data exchange format for bills of quantities and tendering in construction procurement.
General Contractor
A general contractor is a company that assumes overall responsibility for the complete execution of a public contract, typically managing subcontractors for specialized tasks.
GWB (Act Against Restraints of Competition)
The GWB is Germany's primary competition law statute, whose Part 4 contains the foundational rules for public procurement above EU thresholds.
L
Legal Remedy Procedure
The legal remedy procedure encompasses all formal legal avenues available to bidders to challenge procurement decisions, including review and appeal stages.
Lot Division
Lot division is the practice of splitting a public contract into smaller, separately awardable portions to promote competition and SME participation.
N
Negotiated Procedure
The negotiated procedure is a procurement method where the contracting authority negotiates the terms of the contract directly with selected bidders.
Negotiated Procedure Without Publication
The negotiated procedure without publication is a below-threshold procurement method where the contracting authority negotiates directly with selected companies.
NUTS Codes
NUTS codes are the EU's standardized geographic classification system used to identify the location where a public contract will be performed.
O
Objection Deadline
The objection deadline is the time limit within which bidders must formally challenge a procurement decision before the competent review body.
Open Procedure
The open procedure is the standard procurement method above EU thresholds where any interested company may submit a bid without prior qualification.
P
Participation Competition
The participation competition is the first phase of a multi-stage procurement procedure where candidates demonstrate their suitability to be invited to bid.
Participation Deadline
The participation deadline is the cutoff date for submitting requests to participate in multi-stage procurement procedures.
Prequalification
Prequalification is a process where companies verify and register their general suitability credentials in advance of participating in public procurement procedures.
Prior Information Notice
A prior information notice is an advance publication by a contracting authority informing the market about planned procurement procedures.
Prior Information Notice
A prior information notice is an advance publication by a contracting authority announcing planned procurements, which can also reduce minimum bid submission deadlines.
Procurement Law
Procurement law is the body of legal rules governing how public authorities must award contracts for goods, services, and works to ensure fair competition and transparency.
Procurement Portal
A procurement portal is an online platform through which contracting authorities publish tenders, distribute documents, and receive bids electronically.
Procurement Review Board
The Procurement Review Board (Vergabekammer) is the independent quasi-judicial body that adjudicates procurement disputes above the EU thresholds in Germany.
R
Restricted Procedure
The restricted procedure is a two-stage procurement process above EU thresholds where only prequalified candidates are invited to submit bids.
Restricted Tender
A restricted tender is a below-threshold procurement procedure in which only pre-selected companies are invited to submit bids.
Review Procedure
The review procedure is the formal legal process through which bidders can challenge procurement decisions before the Procurement Review Board.
S
Single-Stage Procurement
Single-stage procurement is a procedure where bidders submit their complete offer in one step without a prior qualification phase.
Standstill Letter / Prior Notification
The standstill letter is the mandatory notification sent to unsuccessful bidders before the contract is signed, informing them of the award decision and triggering the standstill period.
Standstill Period
The standstill period is a mandatory waiting period between the notification of the award decision and the actual conclusion of the contract, allowing unsuccessful bidders to challenge the decision.
Subcontractor
A subcontractor is a company engaged by the main contractor to perform specific portions of a public contract on the contractor's behalf.
Sustainable Procurement
Sustainable procurement integrates environmental, social, and economic sustainability criteria into public purchasing decisions alongside traditional value-for-money considerations.
T
TED (Tenders Electronic Daily)
TED is the official online platform of the European Union for the publication of public procurement notices above the EU thresholds.
Tender Documents
Tender documents are the complete set of documents provided by the contracting authority that define the requirements, conditions, and procedures for a procurement.
Two-Stage Procurement
Two-stage procurement is a procedure consisting of a preliminary qualification phase followed by a bid submission phase, limiting competition to prequalified candidates.
Types of Public Contracts
Types of public contracts refer to the classification of procurement objects into supply, service, and works contracts under German and EU procurement law.
Types of Tenders
Types of tenders refer to the various procurement procedures available under German law, ranging from open procedures to negotiated awards.
V
Variant Bid / Alternative Offer
A variant bid is an alternative proposal that deviates from the contracting authority's specifications, offering a different technical or commercial approach.
VgV (German Procurement Regulation)
The VgV is the primary German regulation governing the detailed procedural rules for awarding supply and service contracts above the EU thresholds.
VOB (Construction Procurement Regulation)
The VOB is the comprehensive German regulatory framework specifically governing procurement, contract terms, and dispute resolution for construction works.
VOF (Freelance Services Procurement)
The VOF was the former German regulation governing the procurement of freelance professional services, now replaced by the VgV.
VOL (Services Procurement Regulation)
The VOL was the former German regulation for procurement of supplies and services, largely replaced by the VgV and UVgO but still relevant for its contract terms.