Invitation-only Procedures
Procurement procedures, mostly below the EU thresholds, in which the buyer chooses which suppliers to invite to submit offers instead of publishing an open call. Other suppliers have no right to take part, but can often ask the buyer to be considered.
In Detail
Most national procurement regimes allow lower-value contracts to be awarded through procedures in which the buyer selects the suppliers it invites, under national rules rather than the EU Directives. The names and conditions differ by country. In Germany, below-threshold supplies and services can be awarded by Beschränkte Ausschreibung ohne Teilnahmewettbewerb (a restricted tender without a public participation competition) or Verhandlungsvergabe ohne Teilnahmewettbewerb (a negotiated award without one), and works by comparable procedures under the VOB/A. In Italy, the procedura negoziata senza bando lets the buyer consult operators chosen through market research or from its list of economic operators (elenco degli operatori economici).
In the Netherlands, buyers use the meervoudig onderhandse procedure, inviting a small number of suppliers to submit an offer. In Portugal, the consulta prévia invites at least three suppliers chosen by the buyer to submit proposals. In Lithuania, low-value purchases can be made by neskelbiama apklausa (an unannounced survey), in which the buyer contacts suppliers directly without a public notice. Above the EU thresholds, the closest equivalent is the negotiated procedure without prior publication, which is limited to narrow grounds.
Although the call is not open, many of these procedures still leave a public trace. Some portals publish the procedure while the invited suppliers prepare their offers, some buyers announce an intended procedure in advance, and German rules require advance notice of some intended restricted tenders (ex-ante transparency). These notices show which buyers are buying what, and sometimes give enough time to approach the buyer before offers are due.
Practical Context
How it works in practice
The practice known as asking the buyer is simple: register on the buyer's supplier list or e-procurement platform where one exists, keep your company profile and categories up to date, and contact the buyer before the invitees' deadline to ask to be considered for this procedure or the next one. Buyers are not obliged to add you and late requests rarely succeed, so the earlier the better; some buyers state that the invitation list is already closed. On Tender Radar, these notices are labelled 'Invite only' and stay in the feed and alerts with guidance to ask the buyer. Where the notice says the list is closed, the notice is hidden by default, like framework-only notices and direct awards, and is not alerted; remove the hide chip or choose 'Invite only' in the Access filter to see it, labelled 'Invite only · list closed' so you can treat it as a lead for future work.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I take part in an invitation-only procedure if I was not invited?
Not as of right. The buyer decides whom to invite, and national rules generally do not require it to accept other suppliers. Many buyers will consider a supplier that asks in good time, especially one registered on their supplier list, but a request made after offers are due will not help.
How do I get on a buyer's invitation list?
Register on the buyer's e-procurement platform or supplier list where it has one (many Italian buyers, for example, keep an elenco degli operatori economici), keep your categories and certifications current, and introduce your company to the procurement team before it plans the next purchase. Responding to market consultations and prior information notices also brings you to the buyer's attention.
Why does Tender Radar show invite-only notices if I cannot bid?
Because asking the buyer in time often works, and because the notices show who is buying what. They are labelled 'Invite only' rather than hidden, with guidance to ask the buyer before the invitees' deadline. The exception is a notice whose buyer says the invitation list is already closed: it is hidden by default, behind the same removable chip as framework-only notices and direct awards. When the classification is uncertain, the label starts with 'Likely' and tells you to check the notice, and the notice is never hidden.
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