Award criteria are the standards that a contracting authority uses to evaluate and select the winning tender in EU public procurement. Under EU law, authorities can choose between two approaches: awarding the contract to the lowest-price offer or to the Most Economically Advantageous Tender (MEAT). The MEAT approach allows for a balanced assessment, integrating both cost and non-cost factors,such as technical quality, environmental performance, innovation, lifecycle costs, sustainability, and social considerations.
Crucially, these criteria must be clearly defined, inherently linked to the contract’s subject matter, and disclosed in advance, including their relative weightings or priority order. This ensures transparency, fosters fair competition, and aligns with EU procurement principles of equal treatment and nondiscrimination.
Notably, inclusions of broader value-generating factors, like green innovation or accessibility, are explicitly permitted in award criteria. Once published, the criteria must remain unchanged throughout the tender process to guarantee consistency and legal certainty.
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