Tender Notice (Contract Notice)
The formal publication announcing a procurement opportunity, including details of the required goods, services, or works, qualification requirements, evaluation criteria, and submission deadlines.
In Detail
A tender notice (formally called a contract notice under the EU Directives) is the official publication that announces a procurement opportunity and invites economic operators to participate. It is the primary instrument of transparency in EU procurement and serves as the formal starting point of a procurement procedure. Under Directive 2014/24/EU, contract notices are mandatory for all above-threshold procurement (with limited exceptions for negotiated procedures without prior publication) and must be published on TED using the eForms standard.
The contract notice contains essential information for potential bidders: the identity and contact details of the contracting authority, a description of the subject matter (including CPV codes), the estimated value, the NUTS code for the place of performance, the procurement procedure being used, the selection criteria and award criteria, the deadline for submissions, and any specific conditions or requirements. The notice also specifies whether the contract is divided into lots, whether variants are accepted, and whether options or renewals are included.
Contract notices are distinct from other procurement notice types. Prior Information Notices (PINs) announce upcoming procurements but do not open a procedure. Award notices (contract award notices) announce the outcome of a completed procedure. Modification notices announce changes to an existing contract. Corrigenda correct errors in previously published notices. Together, these notice types create a complete audit trail of procurement activity that supports transparency, accountability, and market monitoring.
Practical Context
How it works in practice
For suppliers, the contract notice is the starting gun for bid preparation. From the moment a contract notice is published, the clock starts ticking toward the submission deadline. Experienced bid teams have systematic processes for reviewing new contract notices: scanning the key fields (CPV code, estimated value, deadline, award criteria), assessing strategic fit, and making a rapid bid/no-bid decision. On TenderRadar, contract notices are the primary content type — each notice is parsed, enriched with AI-powered analysis, and matched against user profiles to deliver targeted opportunity alerts. Users can set up filters for contract notices by CPV code, NUTS code, contracting authority, estimated value, and procedure type.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between a tender notice and a contract notice?
They are the same thing. 'Contract notice' is the formal legal term used in the EU Directives and on TED. 'Tender notice' is the more commonly used informal term. Both refer to the official publication announcing a procurement opportunity and inviting supplier participation.
Where are tender notices published?
Above-threshold notices are published on TED (Tenders Electronic Daily). Many are also simultaneously published on national procurement portals. Below-threshold notices are published only on national or regional portals. Procurement intelligence platforms like TenderRadar aggregate notices from both TED and national portals for comprehensive coverage.
Can a tender notice be corrected after publication?
Yes. If there are errors in a published contract notice, the contracting authority can publish a corrigendum (correction notice) on TED. Significant changes may also require an extension of the submission deadline. Corrigenda are linked to the original notice and are displayed alongside it on procurement platforms.
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