How do public tenders work in Austria?

Law and buyers

The legal basis is the Bundesvergabegesetz 2018 (BVergG 2018), which transposes Directives 2014/24 and 2014/25 and, unusually, also covers contracts below the EU thresholds in detail. Concessions and defence procurement have their own acts (BVergGKonz 2018 and BVergGVS 2012). The Vergaberechtsgesetz 2026 (BGBl. I Nr. 8/2026) amended these acts, made the previously temporary higher national value limits permanent and changed the publication rules. The same federal law applies to the federation, the nine Länder, municipalities and public companies, while the Länder have their own review laws. Bundesbeschaffung GmbH (BBG) is the federal central purchasing body and runs framework agreements that many other buyers use. Large buyers include the City of Vienna, the Länder, ÖBB, ASFINAG and the hospital operators.[1][5][16]

Where tenders are published

Austria has no single national tender portal. Under the BVergG, buyers publish notices as open data: metadata on data.gv.at that links to each buyer's core data source, with core data in eForms format since 1 October 2026. Above the EU thresholds notices also appear on TED. In practice, bidders find and answer tenders on e-procurement platforms. By share of EU notices in 2025, the largest were ANKÖ vergabeportal.at, vemap and ProVia, followed by the City of Vienna's own portal and Land Vorarlberg. Registration on these platforms is usually free for downloading documents and submitting bids, though some services charge for search alerts. Above the EU thresholds communication must be electronic, and buyers may require an electronic signature, such as the Austrian ID Austria or another qualified signature.[3][4][14][15]

Procedures and thresholds

Above the EU thresholds buyers use the offenes Verfahren (open procedure), the nicht offenes Verfahren mit vorheriger Bekanntmachung (restricted procedure), the Verhandlungsverfahren with or without prior notice (negotiated procedure), the wettbewerblicher Dialog and the Innovationspartnerschaft. Below the thresholds the BVergG adds national options with value limits: the Direktvergabe (direct award to a suitable company), the Direktvergabe mit vorheriger Bekanntmachung (direct award after a published notice) and, for works, the nicht offenes Verfahren ohne Bekanntmachung (restricted procedure without notice, inviting at least three companies). Since the Vergaberechtsgesetz 2026, classic contracting authorities may use the negotiated procedure without notice below the thresholds only in a few cases, such as a particularly favourable opportunity. Utilities have higher national limits.[1][2]

Documents and language

Above the EU thresholds buyers must accept the European Single Procurement Document (Einheitliche Europäische Eigenerklärung, EEE), and generally bidders may first declare their suitability and provide evidence only on request. Typical evidence includes a commercial register extract (Firmenbuchauszug), a criminal record certificate for the company and its managers, a tax clearance certificate (Rückstandsbescheinigung) from the tax office, a statement of social security contributions, references and turnover figures. Entry in the ANKÖ Auftragnehmerkataster, a register of verified suitability documents, can replace individual documents. For construction, buyers often check the HFU list kept by the Austrian health insurance fund for contractor liability. Tenders and bids are in German. Foreign bidders submit equivalent documents from their home country, usually with a German translation.[1][12][13]

Deadlines, award and challenges

For EU-value open procedures the minimum period for bids is 30 days. In restricted and negotiated procedures with a notice, candidates get at least 30 days to apply and at least 25 days to bid, shorter after a prior information notice or in justified urgency. Below the EU thresholds the minimum is 20 days for bids in an open procedure, 14 days to apply and 10 days to bid in restricted and negotiated procedures. Award goes to the lowest price or to the technically and economically best offer, which is mandatory for some contracts. After notifying the award decision the buyer must observe a standstill period (Stillhaltefrist) of 10 days when notified electronically or 15 days by post. Applications for review go to the Bundesverwaltungsgericht for federal buyers or the Landesverwaltungsgericht for state and municipal buyers, and a flat fee depending on contract value is payable.[1][10]

How to win a tender in Austria

Under § 91 of the Bundesvergabegesetz 2018, as amended in 2026, the contract is in principle awarded to the technically and economically best offer (Bestbieterprinzip), determined by a cost model or published award criteria; lowest price (Billigstbieterprinzip) is only allowed for clearly and completely described services. For certain services, such as intellectual services in negotiated procedures, food, building cleaning, security and bus transport, buyers must build quality, social or sustainability aspects into the criteria or specifications. Read the Ausschreibungsunterlagen for the criteria, weighting and scoring and the question deadline; a Berichtigung can move the bid deadline. The tender documents themselves are a separately challengeable decision with short time limits, so raise problems early. To know the buyer, look at its earlier notices on the platforms and TED, the open-data notices on data.gv.at and Rechnungshof audit reports. Fill in the Leistungsverzeichnis exactly, sign in the required form and attach evidence or your ANKÖ catalogue entry. Unusual prices trigger a detailed price check under § 137. The award decision must state the reasons for rejection, the total price and the characteristics and advantages of the winning bid; read it before the 10- or 15-day standstill ends.[8][9][10][11]

1. Identify award criteria, weighting and scoring method in the Ausschreibungsunterlagen.
2. Review the buyer's earlier notices, open data and Rechnungshof reports.
3. Send Bieteranfragen before the question deadline and track every Berichtigung.
4. Price the Leistungsverzeichnis exactly and keep cost calculations ready for checks.
5. Sign in the required form and submit with all evidence on time.
6. Analyse the award decision and act within the standstill period.

Clarification round: Bieteranfragen (bidder questions) and Berichtigung der Ausschreibung

Tips for bidders

Register on the platform the buyer uses and set up alerts on the main platforms and TED, because notices are spread across several systems. Consider an ANKÖ Auftragnehmerkataster entry if you bid often, as it saves submitting the same documents each time. Read the Ausschreibungsunterlagen carefully for mandatory forms, binding price sheets (Leistungsverzeichnis) and the deadline for questions, which buyers often set several days before the bid deadline. For construction, check requirements on subcontractors and the HFU list early. Make sure an authorised person signs the offer in the form the buyer requires. If you want to challenge a decision, remember that review applications are time-limited and carry a fee, so seek advice early.[1][3][12][13]

Platforms in Austria

Share of the 6,383 TED notices from 2025 whose documents sit on this platform.

• ANKÖ vergabeportal.at50.9%

  Registration with ANKÖ is required; electronic bids must carry a qualified e-signature (ID Austria or a foreign qualified signature).

  How it works →

• vemap18.2%

  Austrian e-procurement platform where buyers invite suppliers to online procedures; participation is free for suppliers.

  How it works →Website

• ProVia11.6%

  Joint e-procurement platform of ÖBB and ASFINAG; register in the Bieterportal, download documents and sign offers digitally on the platform.

  Website

• Stadt Wien (own portal)11%

  The City of Vienna runs tenders on ANKÖ's eVergabe+ platform; bids must carry a qualified electronic signature, e.g. ID Austria.

  How it works →

• Land Vorarlberg (own portal)3.1%

  The Land publishes on its own notice site; e-tenders run on ANKÖ's eVergabe+ with free registration, and bids need an electronic signature (e.g. ID Austria).

Frequently asked questions

Sources

1. Bundesvergabegesetz 2018 – consolidated text (RIS)
2. WKO – Nationale Schwellenwerte nach dem Vergaberechtsgesetz 2026 (as of 01.03.2026)
3. Unternehmensserviceportal (USP) – E-Procurement: allgemeine Informationen
4. BMJ – Rundschreiben zur Einführung von eForms
5. Bundesbeschaffung GmbH (BBG)
6. Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2025/2152 – thresholds 2026–2027
7. Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2025/2150 – utilities thresholds 2026–2027
8. RIS – Bundesvergabegesetz 2018 § 91 (consolidated)
9. § 137 BVergG 2018 – Prüfung der Angemessenheit der Preise und vertiefte Angebotsprüfung (RIS)
10. § 143 BVergG 2018 – Mitteilung der Zuschlagsentscheidung (JUSLINE)
11. Rechnungshof Österreich
12. Auftragnehmerkataster Österreich (ANKÖ) – WKO
13. Eintragung in die HFU-Gesamtliste – Unternehmensserviceportal (USP)
14. data.gv.at – Offene Daten Österreich
15. ANKÖ vergabeportal.at
16. bmj.gv.at

Checked on 15 October 2026. Made by TenderRender from official sources. Not legal advice: check the notice and documents of each tender.

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