Spain's public procurement market exceeds €150 billion annually, spanning infrastructure, healthcare, renewable energy, and transport. This guide explains how to find tenders on PLACSP, meet legal requirements under Ley 9/2017, and successfully bid across Spain's 17 autonomous communities.
By TenderRadar Team
Spain has one of the largest public procurement markets in the European Union, driven by significant investment in infrastructure, renewable energy, healthcare modernisation, and digital transformation. The country's 17 autonomous communities (comunidades autónomas) each manage their own procurement alongside national and EU-level contracting authorities. Spain's recovery plan under the EU NextGenerationEU programme has further boosted public spending, with billions allocated to green transition, digitalisation, and transport infrastructure. The market is accessible to EU-based suppliers under single market rules, though Spanish language proficiency and a certificado digital (digital certificate) are essential for participation.
€150 billion
Annual procurement value
~12%
Share of GDP
Spanish public procurement is governed by Ley 9/2017, de 8 de noviembre, de Contratos del Sector Público (LCSP), which transposed the EU Public Procurement Directives 2014/23/EU, 2014/24/EU, and 2014/25/EU into national law. The LCSP establishes principles of transparency, equal treatment, non-discrimination, and proportionality. It mandates electronic procurement for all contracting authorities and introduced measures to improve SME access, including mandatory lot division ("división en lotes") unless justified otherwise. Sub-threshold contracts follow simplified procedures (procedimiento simplificado) with shorter timescales. The law also strengthened anti-corruption provisions and introduced mandatory compliance programmes for large public contracts.
Key authority: OIRESCON (Oficina Independiente de Regulación y Supervisión de la Contratación)
Spain's central public procurement platform. All national government entities, most autonomous communities, and many local authorities publish tenders here. It is the single mandatory publication point for state-level contracts and aggregates notices from across the public sector. Offers advanced search, email alerts, and XML data feeds.
Visit portalThe EU's official supplement to the Official Journal. All Spanish tenders above EU thresholds must be published on TED, making it essential for tracking high-value opportunities in Spain.
Visit portalCatalonia's dedicated procurement platform covering the Generalitat and Catalan local authorities. One of the most active autonomous community portals, reflecting Catalonia's large regional economy.
Visit portalThe Madrid regional government publishes its tenders through PLACSP but also maintains a dedicated section. Madrid is one of the highest-spending regions, with major contracts in transport, healthcare, and urban infrastructure.
Visit portalAndalusia's procurement profile page, linking to tenders from the Junta and its agencies. Andalusia is Spain's most populous autonomous community with significant spending on agriculture, tourism infrastructure, and social services.
Visit portalThe Basque Country's procurement portal. The Basque Government manages its own procurement system with notable activity in industry, energy, and advanced manufacturing.
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. Contracts above these values must be advertised in the OJEU/TED. Below-threshold contracts follow national simplified or open procedures under the LCSP. Spain also uses a 'contrato menor' (minor contract) procedure for contracts below €15,000 (supplies/services) or €40,000 (works), which requires minimal formalities but must still be published on PLACSP.
Spain invests heavily in roads, high-speed rail (AVE network), ports, and airports. Major programmes include motorway maintenance, urban metro expansion, and logistics hub development. EU recovery funds have accelerated rail and sustainable mobility projects.
CPV: 45
Spain's universal public healthcare system (Sistema Nacional de Salud) drives substantial procurement of medical equipment, pharmaceuticals, hospital construction, IT systems, and outsourced clinical services across all 17 autonomous community health services.
CPV: 33
Spain is a European leader in solar and wind energy. Public tenders cover solar farm installation, wind turbine procurement, grid modernisation, waste management, water treatment, and environmental consulting driven by national climate targets and EU green transition funds.
CPV: 09
Digitalisation of public administration is a national priority under Spain's Digital Agenda 2026. Tenders cover cybersecurity, cloud migration, citizen-facing digital services, electronic health records, smart city platforms, and telecommunications infrastructure.
CPV: 72
Spain maintains significant defence procurement through the Ministry of Defence, covering military equipment, naval shipbuilding (Navantia), aerospace, and security systems. Spain is a participant in several European collaborative defence programmes.
CPV: 35
As one of the world's top tourist destinations, Spain regularly procures services related to tourism promotion, cultural heritage preservation, museum management, and hospitality infrastructure, particularly through regional and municipal authorities.
CPV: 92
Electronic submission is mandatory for all public procurement in Spain. You will need a certificado digital (digital certificate) issued by a recognised Spanish certification authority such as the FNMT (Fábrica Nacional de Moneda y Timbre). EU-based companies can also use eIDAS-compliant qualified electronic signatures. Without a valid digital certificate, you cannot register on PLACSP or submit bids electronically.
Create an account on the Plataforma de Contratación del Sector Público (contrataciondelestado.es) to access tender documents, submit bids, and receive email notifications. Configure keyword and CPV-code alerts to receive daily updates on relevant opportunities. Also register on any autonomous community portals relevant to your target regions.
Spanish procurement law requires bidders to demonstrate economic, financial, and technical solvency. Prepare certified annual accounts, bank references, proof of relevant experience (certificados de buena ejecución), insurance policies, and staff qualifications. For frequent bidders, consider registering in the Registro Oficial de Licitadores y Empresas Clasificadas del Sector Público (ROLECE), which pre-validates your credentials and streamlines the bidding process.
Bids in Spain are evaluated by a mesa de contratación (procurement evaluation committee). The process typically involves separate envelopes: Sobre A (administrative documentation), Sobre B (technical proposal, evaluated by criteria subject to judgment), and Sobre C (economic offer and auto-scored criteria). Ensure each envelope is correctly prepared — administrative errors in Sobre A can lead to exclusion before your technical merits are even considered.
Spain's 17 autonomous communities have distinct administrative cultures, and local knowledge is invaluable. Consider partnering with Spanish firms through UTEs (Uniones Temporales de Empresas — temporary joint ventures), which are common and well-regulated in Spanish procurement. A local partner can help navigate language requirements, regional regulations, and relationship-building with contracting authorities.
All tender documentation, bid submissions, and communications must be in Spanish (Castilian). In bilingual regions like Catalonia, the Basque Country, Galicia, and Valencia, documentation may also appear in the co-official language. Invest in professional translation of your proposals and ensure all supporting certificates and documents are officially translated by a sworn translator (traductor jurado) accredited by the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
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All Spanish public sector tenders must be published on PLACSP (Plataforma de Contratación del Sector Público) at contrataciondelestado.es. Tenders above EU thresholds are also published on TED (Tenders Electronic Daily). Additionally, Spain's 17 autonomous communities may maintain supplementary regional portals, such as Catalonia's contractaciopublica.gencat.cat and the Basque Country's contratacion.euskadi.eus.
Yes. EU/EEA companies have full access under single market rules. Companies from countries with GPA (Government Procurement Agreement) membership or bilateral agreements with the EU can also participate. Foreign bidders must obtain a certificado digital, demonstrate solvency as required by the LCSP, and submit all documentation in Spanish. Non-EU companies may face additional reciprocity requirements.
Open procedures (procedimiento abierto) typically allow 30-35 days for bid submission from publication, or a minimum of 15 days for sub-threshold simplified open procedures. Restricted procedures have a 30-day pre-qualification phase followed by a 25-day bid phase. The mesa de contratación evaluation can take 1-3 months depending on complexity. Overall, from publication to contract award, expect 3-6 months for standard contracts.
ROLECE (Registro Oficial de Licitadores y Empresas Clasificadas del Sector Público) is Spain's official register of tenderers and classified companies. Registration is voluntary but highly recommended for frequent bidders. It pre-validates your legal standing, economic solvency, and technical capacity, replacing the need to submit these documents with every bid. Classification (clasificación) is mandatory for works contracts above €500,000 and certain service contracts.
Contratos menores are simplified low-value contracts below €15,000 for supplies and services or below €40,000 for works. They require only an invoice and a budget approval, without formal tendering. Since 2018 reforms, they must be published on PLACSP and cannot be used to artificially split larger contracts. While they offer quick procurement, they cannot exceed one year and cannot be extended. They represent a significant entry point for SMEs new to Spanish public procurement.
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