The open procedure is the main way to award a large tender. The buyer announces the tender publicly and any interested party can submit a bid – with no prior selection and no invitation.
When it applies
The buyer may choose the open procedure at its discretion, without justifying the choice (Art. 73(1) of the Public Procurement Act). In practice it uses it for tenders above the EU thresholds, but it may use it for smaller tenders too – then all its rules apply.
Who can take part
Anyone who meets the requirements in the notice: Bulgarian and foreign companies, consortia, individuals.
How it runs
- The buyer publishes the opening decision, the notice and the documents in CAIS EOP, and above the thresholds also in the Official Journal of the EU.
- Bidders ask questions and get clarifications.
- Bids are submitted electronically in CAIS EOP by the deadline.
- The committee opens the bids, checks the ESPD and compliance with the requirements, evaluates and ranks them.
- The buyer issues a decision naming the contractor, which may be appealed before the CPC within 10 days.
- The contract is signed with the bidder ranked first.
Deadlines
| Situation | Minimum deadline for bids |
|---|---|
| Normally | 30 days |
| With a prior information notice (sent 35 days to 12 months earlier) | 15 days |
| In urgency justified in the notice | 15 days |
| A site visit or inspection of documents is needed | + 5 days |
The deadlines are counted from the date the notice is sent for publication.
How the bid is submitted
The bid is submitted fully electronically in CAIS EOP and contains the ESPD and the compliance documents, a technical proposal and a price proposal. It is signed with a QES. Until the deadline the bid may be withdrawn and submitted again. See how a bid is submitted in CAIS EOP.
> Note: The key for decrypting the bid is kept only by you. If you do not decrypt the bid between the deadline and the time of opening, you will be excluded (Art. 107(5) of the Public Procurement Act).
What to watch for
- Read the selection criteria at the very start – if you do not meet them on your own, consider a consortium or a subcontractor.
- The buyer's forms are mandatory.
- Use your right to ask questions – an unclear condition is the most common reason for an excluded bid.
Updated on 3 Oct 2026. General information, not legal advice. The Public Procurement Act, its implementing regulation and the tender documents prevail.
