Public tender: what it is and how to participate in one
Posted: Wed Jan 29, 2025 10:36 am
There is no more reliable and advantageous client than the Administration . But this opportunity also represents a double-edged sword for those companies that launch themselves into the interesting and particular market of public tendering .
The requirements for institutions when awarding budgets to provide certain services are incredibly demanding, and the tenders follow very complex specifications in certain cases.
Tips, tricks and a quick guide to succeed in a public tendering competition. You may also be interested in: " How to close a fiscal year properly? "
What is public bidding?
Public tendering is a competition open to any type of legal entity (multinational, SMEs, self-employed ) in which the Administration seeks a supplier to meet a specific need. The interesting thing about these offers is that they have a backing and reliability that does not exist in the private market.
Institutions are solvent by definition, and although in some cases they may delay payments, they always end up paying what they owe to the company that won the tender and subsequently provided the required service.
The other side of the scale exposes an incredibly demanding estonia number data business partner , who will not, under any circumstances, show flexibility similar to that which can be found in private economic activity.
Furthermore, the tender documents that specify the technical requirements and economic specifications may be more complex than usual due to the enormous competitiveness offered by these types of tenders and auctions.
Auction : the winning company is selected based on a dynamic and unlimited financial offer.
Competition : other more qualitative factors are taken into account - technical, legal, geographical, logistical - to select the entity that will have to complete the contract.
Where are they offered?
The Administration updates the Official Bulletins on a daily and weekly basis , in which it publishes the different tenders. Local institutions are the ones that determine which contracts are offered based on the needs of each region.
From the official electronic headquarters of the State it is possible to search for both tenders and minor contracts. According to Law 9/2017 , the latter work in the same way as conventional tenders, but are classified separately and limited by a budget amount.
Minor contracts are considered to be those contracts worth less than 15,000 euros for supplies and services , and those contracts for works worth less than 40,000 euros . The rest fall within conventional tenders.
What is needed to submit it?
Whether you are a small business, a self-employed person or a larger company, it is mandatory to submit specific documentation. Although each public tender process has certain requirements, the process to be able to apply for all of them is the same.
The Public Sector Contracting Platform offers a guide and electronic envelopes used for submitting documents; articles of incorporation, articles of appointment, IAE certificates, copy of the CIF, certificates of payments to the Treasury and Social Security, etc.
At a more detailed level, the steps - clearly guided throughout the entire process - that you must follow for electronic submission are the following:
Tender details
Bidder data
Authorizations
Batch process
Administrative documentation
Technical documentation
Offer details
Review and signing of envelopes
Sending the documentation
Download the receipt
The two aspects that the Administration takes into account most are the possible legal issues that prevent the contract with the supplier , and the supporting documents that demonstrate the absence of debts with the Treasury or Social Security .
In addition, it is essential that your company has the necessary funds indicated in the tender document in order to be eligible for the contract. During the tender phase you can pay part of the deposit in advance , but once selected, you must provide the final deposit.
Tips for tackling a public tender
Public tenders are the most common business opportunities for specialized self-employed workers. In addition, large companies also opt for this type of contract, taking advantage of its tangible and intangible advantages in terms of resources and business contacts . It is normal that competition is extreme among the most attractive public tenders .
The administration , however, is obliged to always act in a transparent and impartial manner , guided by the strictest market laws. This creates a utopian virtual equality of opportunity in private spheres. And of course, there are councils so that the smallest can overshadow the largest.
Be proactive and daring
Official Bulletins are updated daily with new offers. It is important that you make it a habit to search for interesting tenders for your business . It does not matter if you do not have the necessary resources to fulfill the contract, or if there is already a lot of competition registered in the tender.
Yes, you will have more opportunities in those tenders for which you are economically and technically qualified, but there is always the possibility of subcontracting the services you need to meet the services demanded by the Administration.
The requirements for institutions when awarding budgets to provide certain services are incredibly demanding, and the tenders follow very complex specifications in certain cases.
Tips, tricks and a quick guide to succeed in a public tendering competition. You may also be interested in: " How to close a fiscal year properly? "
What is public bidding?
Public tendering is a competition open to any type of legal entity (multinational, SMEs, self-employed ) in which the Administration seeks a supplier to meet a specific need. The interesting thing about these offers is that they have a backing and reliability that does not exist in the private market.
Institutions are solvent by definition, and although in some cases they may delay payments, they always end up paying what they owe to the company that won the tender and subsequently provided the required service.
The other side of the scale exposes an incredibly demanding estonia number data business partner , who will not, under any circumstances, show flexibility similar to that which can be found in private economic activity.
Furthermore, the tender documents that specify the technical requirements and economic specifications may be more complex than usual due to the enormous competitiveness offered by these types of tenders and auctions.
Auction : the winning company is selected based on a dynamic and unlimited financial offer.
Competition : other more qualitative factors are taken into account - technical, legal, geographical, logistical - to select the entity that will have to complete the contract.
Where are they offered?
The Administration updates the Official Bulletins on a daily and weekly basis , in which it publishes the different tenders. Local institutions are the ones that determine which contracts are offered based on the needs of each region.
From the official electronic headquarters of the State it is possible to search for both tenders and minor contracts. According to Law 9/2017 , the latter work in the same way as conventional tenders, but are classified separately and limited by a budget amount.
Minor contracts are considered to be those contracts worth less than 15,000 euros for supplies and services , and those contracts for works worth less than 40,000 euros . The rest fall within conventional tenders.
What is needed to submit it?
Whether you are a small business, a self-employed person or a larger company, it is mandatory to submit specific documentation. Although each public tender process has certain requirements, the process to be able to apply for all of them is the same.
The Public Sector Contracting Platform offers a guide and electronic envelopes used for submitting documents; articles of incorporation, articles of appointment, IAE certificates, copy of the CIF, certificates of payments to the Treasury and Social Security, etc.
At a more detailed level, the steps - clearly guided throughout the entire process - that you must follow for electronic submission are the following:
Tender details
Bidder data
Authorizations
Batch process
Administrative documentation
Technical documentation
Offer details
Review and signing of envelopes
Sending the documentation
Download the receipt
The two aspects that the Administration takes into account most are the possible legal issues that prevent the contract with the supplier , and the supporting documents that demonstrate the absence of debts with the Treasury or Social Security .
In addition, it is essential that your company has the necessary funds indicated in the tender document in order to be eligible for the contract. During the tender phase you can pay part of the deposit in advance , but once selected, you must provide the final deposit.
Tips for tackling a public tender
Public tenders are the most common business opportunities for specialized self-employed workers. In addition, large companies also opt for this type of contract, taking advantage of its tangible and intangible advantages in terms of resources and business contacts . It is normal that competition is extreme among the most attractive public tenders .
The administration , however, is obliged to always act in a transparent and impartial manner , guided by the strictest market laws. This creates a utopian virtual equality of opportunity in private spheres. And of course, there are councils so that the smallest can overshadow the largest.
Be proactive and daring
Official Bulletins are updated daily with new offers. It is important that you make it a habit to search for interesting tenders for your business . It does not matter if you do not have the necessary resources to fulfill the contract, or if there is already a lot of competition registered in the tender.
Yes, you will have more opportunities in those tenders for which you are economically and technically qualified, but there is always the possibility of subcontracting the services you need to meet the services demanded by the Administration.