PIN (Prior Information Notice)
An advance notice published by a contracting authority to inform the market about upcoming procurement opportunities. Can be used to reduce minimum tender deadlines.
In Detail
A Prior Information Notice (PIN) is an advance publication by a contracting authority announcing its intention to procure goods, services, or works in the near future. Governed by Article 48 of Directive 2014/24/EU, a PIN serves two main purposes: informing the market about upcoming opportunities (enabling suppliers to prepare) and, if certain conditions are met, allowing the authority to reduce the minimum time limits for the subsequent tender procedure. PINs may cover a single planned procurement or an entire annual procurement program.
When used as a means to reduce time limits, the PIN must contain as much of the information required for the contract notice as is available at the time and must be published between 35 days and 12 months before the contract notice is sent to TED. If these conditions are met, the minimum tender period for an open procedure can be reduced from 35 days to 15 days, and the time limit for receipt of requests to participate in a restricted procedure can be reduced from 30 days to 15 days. This reduction mechanism incentivizes early market engagement.
PINs can also be used as the initial stage of a competitive procedure in specific situations. A 'PIN used as a call for competition' effectively replaces the contract notice as the trigger for the procurement procedure. In this case, interested suppliers must express their interest in response to the PIN, and only those who express interest are subsequently invited to tender. This approach is available for restricted procedures, competitive procedures with negotiation, and competitive dialogue under certain conditions.
Practical Context
How it works in practice
For suppliers, PINs are a valuable early warning signal. Monitoring PINs allows bid teams to identify upcoming opportunities months before the formal contract notice is published, giving them time to research the contracting authority, build relationships, form consortia or supply chains, and begin preparing their technical approach. On TenderRadar, PINs are tracked and linked to subsequent contract notices, giving users a pipeline view of upcoming opportunities. Suppliers who only monitor contract notices are always reacting to published tenders, while those who also track PINs can adopt a more proactive, strategic approach to business development.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a PIN the same as a contract notice?
No. A PIN is an advance notice that signals upcoming procurement, while a contract notice (tender notice) is the formal publication that opens the competition. A PIN does not typically require suppliers to take action, though they may want to register their interest. The contract notice triggers the formal tender period with binding deadlines.
Are contracting authorities required to publish PINs?
No. Publication of PINs is voluntary in most cases. Authorities choose to publish PINs for strategic reasons: to warm the market, attract supplier interest, test market capacity, or benefit from reduced tender time limits. However, once a PIN is published, any representations made in it create legitimate expectations that the authority should follow through.
How can I track PINs for my sector?
PINs are published on TED (for above-threshold procurements) and sometimes on national portals. TenderRadar monitors both TED and national portals for PINs and allows you to filter them by CPV code, NUTS code, and contracting authority — the same way you filter contract notices. Setting up PIN alerts alongside contract notice alerts gives you the earliest possible visibility of upcoming opportunities.
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