Guide · free
Everything about public procurement – clear and in one place
How to take part, which procedure applies when, what the thresholds and deadlines are, how to submit a bid in CAIS EOP and what the law says. Written for companies, without legal jargon.
Step by step
The road from the notice to the contract
- 1 Find the tender Follow the notices by sector and region and decide in time whether to take part.
- 2 Read the documents The requirements, the criteria and the forms – what to check first.
- 3 Registration and QES A profile in CAIS EOP and a qualified electronic signature.
- 4 Prepare the bid ESPD, technical and price proposal, guarantees.
- 5 Evaluation and ranking How the committee excludes, evaluates and ranks the bids.
- 6 Contract or appeal Signing the contract, and in case of a breach – an appeal to the CPC.
Procedures under the Public Procurement Act
Which procedure applies when
The type of procedure depends on the estimated value and the subject of the tender. For each you will find when it is used, the minimum deadlines, the steps and how the bid is submitted.
All procedures
Thresholds
Which procedure for which value
The procedure is chosen by the estimated value of the tender excluding VAT (Art. 20 of the Public Procurement Act). The amounts in euros follow the official table of the Public Procurement Agency; the law states them in leva.
National thresholds
| Type of contract | Public competition or direct negotiation | Collection of offers by notice or invitation | No procedure (direct award) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Works | from €153,387.56 to €5,381,917.65 | from €40,903.35 to €153,387.56 | below €40,903.35 |
| Supplies and services | from €51,129.19 to the EU threshold | from €25,564.59 to €51,129.19 | below €25,564.59 |
| Social and other specific services (Annex No. 2) | from €51,129.19 to €749,988.50 | – | below €51,129.19 |
EU thresholds for 2026–2027
Above them the tender is also announced in the Official Journal of the EU and awarded by an open, restricted or other procedure under the directives.
| Type of contract | Threshold |
|---|---|
| Works and concessions | €5,404,000 |
| Supplies and services – central authorities | €140,000 |
| Supplies and services – other buyers (municipalities, hospitals etc.) | €216,000 |
| Supplies and services – sector buyers | €432,000 |
| Social and other specific services | €750,000 (sector: €1,000,000) |
> Note: The Public Procurement Act states the EU thresholds with slightly lower amounts (for example €5,381,917.65 for works and €139,997.85 for supplies and services of public buyers). A buyer may always choose the procedure for a higher value – then all its rules apply.
> Tip: Below the national thresholds there is no procedure: the buyer may buy directly. For supplies and services the expense can be proved with an invoice alone, without a written contract.
Topics
The guide by topic
First steps
What a public tender is, how to find one and how to submit a bid.
Preparing the bid
The ESPD, the documents, lots and consortia.
Rules and requirements
Award criteria, guarantees, grounds for exclusion and deadlines.
After submission
Evaluation, ranking, appeals before the CPC and the contract.
Legal framework
The public procurement laws in one place The Public Procurement Act, its implementing regulation, the EU directives, the ESPD, the electronic signature and the CPC – what each act governs and where the official text is. To the lawsThe guide is general information and does not replace legal advice. The Public Procurement Act, its implementing regulation and the documents of the specific tender prevail.
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