1. Check the notice type first
Not every notice is an open opportunity. A contract notice invites bids. A prior information notice announces plans — useful for preparing, but you usually can't bid yet. A contract award notice reports who already won. Filter for contract notices unless you are doing market research.
2. Who is buying, and where
The buyer section names the contracting authority, its country and a contact point. Look up the buyer: a ministry, a hospital and a municipal company buy very differently. The place of performance tells you whether you would need people on site.
3. What exactly is being bought
Read the title, the short description and the CPV codes — the EU's standard vocabulary for goods and services. CPV codes are what search tools match on, so they are the quickest relevance check. Then open the procurement documents: the real scope lives in the specification, not the notice.
4. Lots
Large contracts are often split into lots. You can usually bid for one lot only, which makes a big tender reachable for a small company. Check whether there is a limit on how many lots one bidder can win.
5. Estimated value and duration
The estimated value (if published) and contract duration tell you whether the contract fits your capacity. Compare it with your annual turnover — buyers often require turnover of a multiple of the contract value.
6. Selection criteria: can you take part at all?
This is where most bids are lost before they start. Look for minimum turnover, insurance, certificates (e.g. ISO), and references — similar contracts completed in the last few years, often with a minimum value. If you can't meet them alone, consider a consortium or a subcontractor whose capacity you can rely on.
7. Award criteria: how you will be scored
Award is usually on the "most economically advantageous tender": a mix of price and quality criteria with weights. A 100% price tender is a race to the bottom; a 60/40 quality-heavy tender rewards a strong technical offer.
8. Deadlines and procedure
Note the deadline for receipt of tenders (and its time zone), the deadline for clarification questions, and the procedure type — open, restricted (two stages) or negotiated. Restricted procedures start with a request to participate, not a full bid.
9. Language and submission
The notice states which languages bids may be submitted in and the e-procurement platform to use. Register on that platform early; registration can take days.
A quick 2-minute triage
- Is it a contract notice, and is the deadline realistic?
- Do the CPV codes and scope match what you actually deliver?
- Do you meet turnover and reference requirements — alone or with a partner?
- Can you submit in an accepted language?
If any answer is "no", skip it and spend the time on a better-matched tender.