Italy's public procurement market is worth approximately €170 billion annually. Learn how to navigate Acquisti in Rete, MEPA, and ANAC platforms to find and win Italian government tenders.
By TenderRadar Team
Italy has one of the largest public procurement markets in the European Union, with annual spending of approximately €170 billion. Public contracts are awarded by thousands of contracting authorities at national, regional, and municipal levels. The system underwent a major modernisation with the new Codice dei Contratti Pubblici (D.Lgs. 36/2023), which replaced the previous 2016 code and introduced fully digital procurement procedures. Italy's procurement ecosystem is characterised by its centralised purchasing body Consip, the electronic marketplace MEPA, and strong oversight from the national anti-corruption authority ANAC.
€170 billion
Annual procurement value
~10%
Share of GDP
Italian public procurement is governed by the Codice dei Contratti Pubblici (Public Contracts Code), most recently enacted as Decreto Legislativo 36/2023. This new code, effective from 1 July 2023, fully transposes EU Directives 2014/23/EU, 2014/24/EU, and 2014/25/EU while introducing significant national reforms including mandatory digitalisation of all procurement procedures, simplified rules for below-threshold contracts, and strengthened transparency requirements. ANAC (Autorità Nazionale Anticorruzione) serves as the independent oversight authority, maintaining the national database of public contracts and issuing binding guidelines.
Key authority: ANAC — Autorità Nazionale Anticorruzione
The main national e-procurement platform operated by Consip on behalf of the Ministry of Economy and Finance. Hosts framework agreements, MEPA (the electronic marketplace for below-threshold purchases), the Dynamic Purchasing System, and e-auctions. All public administrations are required to check Consip conventions before initiating independent procurement.
Visit portalANAC's national database of public contracts. Every procurement procedure in Italy must be registered here and assigned a CIG (Codice Identificativo Gara). Provides transparency data on all awarded contracts, contracting authorities, and economic operators.
Visit portalThe Ministry of Infrastructure's official publication platform for contract notices above and below EU thresholds. Publishes all mandatory legal notices for Italian public contracts alongside the Official Journal of the EU (OJEU/TED).
Visit portalThe EU's official journal for public procurement. All Italian tenders above EU thresholds must be published on TED. A valuable source for cross-border opportunities in Italy.
Visit portalThe official gazette of the Italian Republic. Contract notices for higher-value tenders are published in the special series dedicated to public contracts.
Visit portalMany Italian regions operate their own e-procurement platforms (e.g., SINTEL for Lombardy, START for Tuscany, EmPULIA for Puglia). These handle regional and local procurement and often require separate registration.
Visit portal| Category | Threshold (EUR) |
|---|---|
| Supplies | €143,000 (central government) / €221,000 (sub-central authorities) |
| Services | €143,000 (central government) / €221,000 (sub-central authorities) |
| Works | €5,538,000 |
These are the standard EU thresholds effective from 1 January 2024. Below-threshold contracts in Italy follow simplified procedures under the new Codice dei Contratti Pubblici, with direct award permitted up to €140,000 for supplies and services, and up to €150,000 for works. Contracts between these simplified limits and the EU thresholds use negotiated procedures. All values exclude VAT.
Italy invests heavily in road, rail, port, and urban infrastructure. Major programmes include high-speed rail expansion, motorway modernisation, and seismic resilience upgrades. The PNRR (National Recovery and Resilience Plan) has allocated over €60 billion to infrastructure projects.
CPV: 45
Italy's Servizio Sanitario Nazionale (SSN) and regional health authorities procure pharmaceuticals, medical devices, hospital equipment, and IT systems. Consip runs centralised framework agreements for healthcare supplies, while regional purchasing bodies handle local needs.
CPV: 33
Italy is a significant NATO member with substantial defence procurement covering military equipment, naval vessels, aerospace systems, and cybersecurity. The Ministry of Defence and agencies like SEGREDIFESA manage defence acquisitions, often under specific national security procurement rules.
CPV: 35
Digital transformation is a national priority under the PNRR, driving demand for cloud computing, cybersecurity, AI, digital identity systems, and public administration software. Consip's Strategic ICT Plan covers large-scale framework agreements for IT goods and services.
CPV: 72
Italy is investing heavily in renewable energy, grid modernisation, building energy efficiency (Superbonus programmes), and waste management. Green public procurement (GPP) criteria are mandatory for certain product categories under Italy's Minimum Environmental Criteria (CAM).
CPV: 09
School buildings, social housing, public offices, and cultural heritage restoration drive significant procurement volumes. Italy's SOA (Società Organismi di Attestazione) qualification system is mandatory for works contracts above €150,000, requiring contractors to hold appropriate category and classification certificates.
CPV: 45
For public works contracts above €150,000, Italian law requires a SOA attestation — a mandatory qualification certificate issued by authorised bodies. SOA categories (OG for general works, OS for specialised works) and classification levels determine which tenders you can bid for. The qualification process can take several months, so begin well before you plan to bid.
MEPA (Mercato Elettronico della Pubblica Amministrazione) on Acquisti in Rete is Italy's electronic marketplace for below-threshold purchases. Registration as an approved supplier gives you access to thousands of direct purchases and requests for quotation from public bodies across Italy. Also register on major regional platforms like SINTEL (Lombardy), START (Tuscany), and MeCAT (Sardinia) to access local opportunities.
Every Italian procurement procedure is assigned a CIG (Codice Identificativo Gara) by ANAC. You will need a CIG to participate in any tender, and ANAC tracks all contract performance data. Ensure your company is registered on ANAC's systems, maintain a clean track record, and familiarise yourself with the FVOE (Fascicolo Virtuale dell'Operatore Economico) — the digital dossier that contracting authorities use to verify your eligibility.
Almost all Italian public procurement is conducted in Italian. Tender documents, technical proposals, administrative documentation, and correspondence must be in Italian unless the contracting authority explicitly allows other languages. Invest in professional translation and consider working with a local partner or legal advisor who understands Italian procurement terminology and administrative law.
Italy's Piano Nazionale di Ripresa e Resilienza (PNRR) is channelling over €190 billion in EU and national funds into six strategic missions through 2026. PNRR-funded tenders often have accelerated timelines, simplified procedures, and specific requirements around digital and green criteria. Monitor the Italia Domani portal (italiadomani.gov.it) and Consip's PNRR-dedicated conventions for upcoming opportunities.
Italian contracting authorities increasingly use preliminary market consultations (consultazioni preliminari di mercato) before launching formal procedures. Participate actively in these consultations to shape technical specifications, demonstrate your capabilities, and gain early insight into upcoming tenders. Also attend Consip's supplier engagement events and ForumPA, Italy's largest public administration conference.
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No. Under EU procurement rules, companies from any EU/EEA member state can bid on Italian public tenders without discrimination. Companies from countries with GPA (Government Procurement Agreement) membership or bilateral agreements also have access. However, you must be able to provide documentation in Italian, meet all qualification requirements, and for works contracts above €150,000, you will need SOA attestation from an authorised Italian body.
The CIG (Codice Identificativo Gara) is a unique identification code assigned by ANAC to every public procurement procedure in Italy. It is mandatory for all contracts regardless of value. The CIG enables traceability of public spending, must be referenced in all payments and invoicing, and is linked to your company's performance record in ANAC's database. Without a valid CIG, no public contract can be legally executed.
Acquisti in Rete PA is the overarching national e-procurement platform operated by Consip. MEPA (Mercato Elettronico della Pubblica Amministrazione) is one component within Acquisti in Rete — specifically the electronic marketplace for below-threshold purchases. Acquisti in Rete also hosts framework agreements (Convenzioni), the Dynamic Purchasing System (SDAPA), and negotiated procedures. Think of Acquisti in Rete as the platform and MEPA as the marketplace within it.
CAM (Criteri Ambientali Minimi) are mandatory green procurement criteria established by the Italian Ministry of Environment. Under Italian law, contracting authorities must apply CAM when procuring certain product and service categories including furniture, cleaning services, construction, IT equipment, textiles, and catering. Compliance with relevant CAM is a mandatory requirement in tender specifications, not just an award criterion. Non-compliance can lead to exclusion from the procedure.
Timelines vary significantly by procedure type and contract value. Open procedures for above-threshold contracts typically take 3-6 months from publication to award. Below-threshold simplified procedures can be completed in 4-8 weeks. MEPA direct purchases can be executed in days. However, Italian procurement is known for potential delays due to administrative reviews, ANAC checks, and legal challenges (ricorsi) before the TAR (Regional Administrative Tribunal). The new 2023 code has introduced standstill periods and streamlined timelines to reduce delays.
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