A public tender is a contract that a state or municipal organisation signs with a company after a competitive procedure. The rules are in the Public Procurement Act (ZOP) and are the same for all bidders. That is also the advantage of a small company: it is the bid that is evaluated, not who you know.
1. Find the tender in time
Most procedures give between two and five weeks to prepare a bid. Companies that learn about a tender in its last days usually do not make it. Follow the notices in your sectors and regions and make it a habit to look through the new ones every working day, or get alerts.
2. Read the notice and the documents
The notice gives the frame: subject, estimated value, deadline, award criterion. The documents give the terms: bidder requirements, technical specifications, a draft contract, forms. Check the requirements for suitability, economic standing and technical capacity first – if you do not meet them, do not waste time.
3. Decide whether it is worth it
Compare the estimated value with your real costs, and see who has won with this buyer and at what discount. A tender that the same company has always won with a large discount is harder ground than one with three to five bids at similar prices.
4. Ask questions
Up to a set time before the bidding deadline you can ask for clarifications of the documents. The answers are published for all bidders. Use this right – an unclear sentence in the specification is the most common reason for an excluded bid.
5. Prepare the bid
The bid is submitted electronically in CAIS EOP and has three parts: documents showing that you meet the requirements (including the ESPD), a technical proposal and a price proposal. The buyer's forms are mandatory. Every document is signed with a qualified electronic signature.
6. Submit on time
The platform closes submission at the exact time stated in the notice. Upload the documents at least a day early – a problem with the signature or a file size in the last hour is no ground for an extension.
7. Opening, evaluation, decision
The buyer's committee opens the bids, checks compliance and evaluates them by the announced criterion. The result is a ranking decision sent to all bidders. If you believe you were excluded or ranked wrongly, you have the right to appeal within a short deadline.
8. Contract and guarantee
The contract is signed with the bidder ranked first. A performance guarantee is usually required, set as a percentage of the contract value. Then the real work starts – and the reporting under the terms of the contract.
What to prepare once and use many times
- registration in CAIS EOP and a valid qualified electronic signature;
- up-to-date certificates and declarations that are asked for almost every time;
- references for completed contracts with contact details;
- a list of the team with qualifications and experience;
- a description of the company's equipment and certificates.
A company with a ready folder submits a bid in three days. A company without one loses the first week collecting documents.
Updated on 1 Oct 2026. The article is general information, not legal advice.
