What are tenders in public procurement and how to find them?

Across Europe, public sector organizations spend billions each year through open and competitive procurement processes. For companies ready to grow, these tenders offer reliable revenue and long-term partnerships. But many businesses—especially small and medium-sized ones—struggle with the same basic question:

What exactly is a tender, and how do we find the right ones to bid on?

It sounds simple, but public procurement comes with its own rules, language, and systems. If you don’t understand how it works, you’ll miss opportunities—or waste time chasing contracts you can’t win.

In this guide, we’ll break it down clearly:

• What tenders are in public procurement
• The types of tenders you’ll see
• The full tender lifecycle
• And how to actually find tenders efficiently, using both public portals and smart tools

Let’s begin with the basics—what is a public tender, and why does it exist?

A tender is an official invitation from a public sector buyer—such as a government department, municipality, or hospital—for suppliers to submit a bid for a specific contract. It could be anything from delivering software services to building a bridge or providing catering for schools.

In public procurement, tenders are used to ensure transparency, competition, and value for money. Instead of selecting a supplier privately, the buyer publishes a clear request, allowing any qualified company to compete.

Key characteristics of a public tender

• Published openly through government portals or procurement platforms
• Time-bound with clear deadlines for submission
• Defined requirements including scope, budget, and evaluation criteria
• Regulated by law, especially in the EU, where thresholds and procedures are standardized

Why do governments use tenders?

• To avoid favoritism and corruption
• To drive better pricing and innovation
• To allow fair access for SMEs across borders

In the EU, public tenders above certain thresholds must be published on Tenders Electronic Daily (TED), the official EU procurement portal. Below those thresholds, tenders are often listed on national or regional portals.

Understanding what a tender is helps you identify whether an opportunity fits your business—and whether it’s worth pursuing.

Next, let’s look at the different types of tenders you’ll encounter.

Not all tenders are created equal. Depending on the buyer’s needs, budget, and legal obligations, different procedures are used. Understanding these types helps you know what to expect—and where your company fits best.

Here are the most common types of public tenders:

Open Procedure

• Anyone can submit a bid, as long as they meet the requirements.
• Most commonly used for EU and national contracts.
• Usually more competitive, but also more accessible for new bidders.

Best for: Companies entering public procurement or targeting broader opportunities.

Restricted (or Selective) Procedure

• Only pre-selected suppliers (after an initial qualification stage) are invited to submit full bids.
• The buyer reviews qualifications first, then shortlists bidders.

Best for: Specialized suppliers with strong credentials and proven track records.

Negotiated or Direct Award

• Used in exceptional cases: no competition, urgent need, or very low contract value.
• The buyer can directly negotiate with one or a few suppliers.

Best for: Suppliers with long-standing relationships or niche expertise.

Framework Agreements and DPS (Dynamic Purchasing Systems)

• These aren’t one-off contracts, but agreements to supply over time.
• Buyers choose from a list of pre-approved suppliers when needs arise.

Best for: Businesses ready for recurring work with public buyers.

Knowing these tender types helps you:

• Focus on procedures that suit your size and strengths
• Prepare the right documentation early
• Avoid wasting time on tenders you aren’t eligible for

Now that you know the types, let’s walk through how the full tender lifecycle actually works.

Winning a public contract isn’t about submitting a document and hoping for the best. Each tender follows a structured process—from early planning to final award. Understanding this lifecycle helps you act at the right time and stay ahead of competitors.

Here’s what the typical tender process looks like:

1. Pre-Procurement and Early Signals

• The buyer identifies a need and explores the market.
• Sometimes publishes a Prior Information Notice (PIN) or holds informal consultations.
• This is your chance to build visibility early—even before the tender is live.

2. Tender Publication

• The buyer officially publishes the contract notice with all key details:
  
  • Description of goods/services
  • Eligibility criteria
  • Evaluation method
  • Submission deadline
• Published on portals like TED or national procurement sites.

3. Bid Preparation and Submission

• Suppliers prepare their proposals, including technical, financial, and compliance documents.
• Submission must meet all formatting and deadline requirements—no exceptions.

4. Evaluation and Award

• The buyer reviews all bids based on price, quality, experience, and added value.
• A winning bidder is selected—sometimes after clarification or negotiation stages.

5. Contract Signing and Implementation

• After a standstill period, the contract is signed.
• Work begins according to the terms agreed.

Every stage is an opportunity or a risk. Missing a requirement, misunderstanding the evaluation method, or submitting late can cost you the contract.

Next, let’s explore why understanding these types and stages actually matters for your strategy.

For executives and decision-makers, it’s not enough to know that tenders exist—you need to know which ones are worth your team’s time. Understanding the types of tenders and how they’re structured helps you make better, faster decisions.

Here’s why this knowledge is critical:

Smarter Bid/No-Bid Decisions

When you recognize the tender type, you can quickly assess:

• Are we eligible?
• Is this competitive or restricted?
• Do we have the capacity and time to respond?

Better Resource Allocation

Knowing the procedure helps you plan:

• How many team members are needed
• How long the preparation will take
• What documentation you must gather in advance

Avoiding Wasted Effort

Chasing tenders that don’t fit your business is costly. It distracts from higher-potential opportunities and burns out your team.

Focusing on Strategic Fit

Some tenders are purely price-driven. Others value innovation, experience, or sustainability. Understanding how different tenders are evaluated helps you play to your strengths.

In short, this knowledge isn’t just useful—it’s strategic.

Now, let’s look at the most practical side of all: how do you actually find public tenders efficiently?

Finding tenders can feel like looking for a needle in a haystack—especially when they’re scattered across different portals, written in legal language, and updated daily. But with the right approach and tools, you can discover relevant opportunities faster and more reliably.

Here’s how:

1. Use Official Government Portals

Most countries publish public tenders on national platforms. For EU-wide contracts, tenders above the threshold appear on TED (Tenders Electronic Daily).

Examples of national portals:

• Contracts Finder (UK)
• Doffin (Norway)
• BOAMP (France)
• SIMAP (Switzerland)
• Public Procurement Croatia (EOJN)

The downside? These platforms are fragmented, hard to search across, and often not user-friendly.

2. Use a Dedicated Tender Discovery Tool Like Tendify

Instead of checking multiple sources every day, Tendify brings over 2,000 EU and national tender portals into one smart, searchable platform.

Here’s what Tendify offers:

• Centralized access to 800,000+ active tenders
• Custom filters by region, industry, and keywords
• AI-powered matching based on your business profile
• Smart alerts so you never miss a relevant opportunity
• All tenders scored and prioritized—so you can focus where you’re most likely to win

With Tendify, you don’t just find tenders—you discover the right ones, at the right time, without the usual noise or manual searching.

3. Set Up Smart Alerts and Monitoring

Once you know your key CPV codes, regions, and contract sizes, create saved searches and email alerts. This keeps your team proactive instead of reactive.

4. Track Expiring Contracts and Early Notices

Pre-procurement signals, like Prior Information Notices (PINs) or expiring contracts, give you a competitive edge. You can prepare early—and even open conversations with buyers before tenders go live.

The goal isn’t just to find tenders. It’s to build a strategic, repeatable system for discovering and acting on opportunities with confidence.

Understanding what tenders are—and how to find the right ones—is the first step toward winning more public contracts. But success doesn’t come from checking portals manually. It comes from building a smart, strategic system around discovery and decision-making.

With Tendify, you don’t just keep up—you stay ahead.

✅ Find tenders that match your strengths

✅ Save time and reduce manual effort

✅ Focus your team on bids you can actually win