# How do public tenders work in Denmark?

Danish public buyers, including the state, five regions, 98 municipalities and public companies, tender under the Public Procurement Act (udbudsloven), which implements the EU directives. EU tenders appear on TED and are shown on udbud.dk, while documents and bids usually run through commercial e-tendering platforms such as Mercell (ETHICS) or Comdia. Works below the EU threshold follow the separate Tender Act (tilbudsloven).

Checked on 15 October 2026. Made by TenderRender from official sources. Not legal advice: check the notice and documents of each tender.
Source: https://www.tenderrender.com/en-us/tender-guides/denmark

## At a glance

- Law: [Udbudsloven](https://www.retsinformation.dk/eli/lta/2023/10)
- Oversight: [Konkurrence- og Forbrugerstyrelsen (KFST)](https://kfst.dk/udbud)
- Central portal: [udbud.dk](https://udbud.dk)
- Thresholds: Supplies and services, central government authorities (EU threshold): DKK 1.044.400 (€ 140.000) ([source](https://kfst.dk/udbud/regler-og-lovgivning/taerskelvaerdier))
- Thresholds: Supplies and services, regional and municipal authorities and bodies governed by public law (EU threshold): DKK 1.611.360 (€ 216.000) ([source](https://kfst.dk/udbud/regler-og-lovgivning/taerskelvaerdier))
- Thresholds: Works contracts and concessions (EU threshold): DKK 40.313.840 (€ 5.404.000) ([source](https://kfst.dk/udbud/regler-og-lovgivning/taerskelvaerdier))
- Thresholds: Social and other specific services, light regime: DKK 5.595.000 (€ 750.000) ([source](https://kfst.dk/udbud/regler-og-lovgivning/taerskelvaerdier))
- Thresholds: Supplies and services, utilities (EU threshold): DKK 3.222.720 (€ 432.000) ([source](https://kfst.dk/udbud/regler-og-lovgivning/taerskelvaerdier))
- Thresholds: Works below the EU threshold: public tender (licitation) required above this value under the Tender Act: DKK 3.000.000 ([source](https://www.retsinformation.dk/eli/lta/2007/1410))
- Thresholds: Works below the EU threshold: from this value, licitation or quotes from a limited number of firms (underhåndsbud): DKK 300.000 ([source](https://www.retsinformation.dk/eli/lta/2007/1410))

## Law and buyers

Denmark implements Directive 2014/24/EU through Udbudsloven (the Public Procurement Act). The utilities directive and concessions directive are implemented by executive orders, and works contracts below the EU threshold are governed by Tilbudsloven (the Tender Act). Contracting authorities include central government, five regions, 98 municipalities and bodies governed by public law. Important central purchasing bodies are SKI (Staten og Kommunernes Indkøbsservice), Statens Indkøb for central government and Amgros for hospital medicines. Konkurrence- og Forbrugerstyrelsen (KFST, the Danish Competition and Consumer Authority) is responsible for the procurement rules and publishes guidance and the thresholds in Danish kroner. A bill introduced in October 2026 (L 11) proposes to repeal the Tender Act and move the rules for smaller works into Udbudsloven; until it is adopted, the Tender Act applies.

## Where tenders are published

Tenders above the EU thresholds are published on TED, and Danish TED notices are imported into udbud.dk, which also carries notices of contracts with a certain cross-border interest and of works under the Tender Act. Searching udbud.dk and TED is free. The tender documents and the submission itself are usually handled in an e-tendering platform chosen by the buyer, most often Mercell (formerly ETHICS and EU-Supply), Comdia, or construction tools such as Dalux and iBinder. Suppliers register a free account on the relevant platform. MitID Erhverv or another e-signature is not generally required to submit, but buyers may require a signed contract later.

## Procedures and thresholds

Above the EU thresholds, Udbudsloven offers offentligt udbud (open procedure), begrænset udbud (restricted procedure), udbud med forhandling (competitive procedure with negotiation), konkurrencepræget dialog (competitive dialogue) and innovationspartnerskab. Social and other specific services follow a lighter regime with more freedom on procedure. Contracts below the EU thresholds with a certain cross-border interest must be advertised, while others can be bought more freely. For works below the EU threshold, Tilbudsloven requires a public tender (licitation) above a set amount and allows either licitation or a small number of quotes (underhåndsbud) in the band below it. Framework agreements (rammeaftaler) from SKI and Statens Indkøb are widely used.

## Documents and language

Denmark makes extensive use of the European Single Procurement Document (ESPD), which is mandatory above the EU thresholds and is typically completed in the e-tendering platform. Only the bidder the buyer intends to award must then provide full evidence, such as a service certificate (serviceattest) from Erhvervsstyrelsen showing no tax debt or bankruptcy, or the equivalent from the home country, plus financial statements, references and certificates requested in the tender. Tender documents and bids are usually in Danish; some buyers allow English, particularly for technical documentation, and the tender conditions state what is accepted. Foreign bidders can submit equivalent foreign documents, sometimes with a translation.

## Deadlines, award and challenges

In an open procedure above the EU thresholds, the minimum time limit is 35 days from sending the notice, reduced by five days when tenders are submitted electronically, with shorter limits after a prior information notice or in urgent cases. Contracts are awarded to the most economically advantageous tender, judged on price, cost or best price-quality ratio. After the award decision a standstill period of 10 calendar days applies when notification is electronic. Complaints are handled by Klagenævnet for Udbud (the Complaints Board for Public Procurement), which can annul decisions, award damages and declare contracts ineffective. Its decisions can be brought before the courts.

## Tips for bidders

Watch udbud.dk and TED for notices, and register in Mercell and Comdia, which handle most Danish tenders. Answer the ESPD carefully, because Danish buyers rely on it to select candidates, and incorrect answers can lead to exclusion. Danish tender conditions often contain strict minimum requirements (mindstekrav) and rules on reservations (forbehold); any reservation on a fundamental element makes a bid non-compliant. Check whether English is allowed, and plan for Danish translation if needed. Many purchases run through SKI and Statens Indkøb frameworks, so watch for their re-tenders. Finally, note that municipal buyers often divide contracts into lots, which can make them accessible to smaller foreign firms.

## Platforms in Denmark

Share of the 3,545 TED notices from 2025 whose documents sit on this platform.

- Mercell (incl. TendSign, EU-Supply, ETHICS, Cloudia) 62.3% (Commercial) — [Mercell | Support Portal | Help Center for Mercell Users](https://info.mercell.com/en/support-portal/) Buyers using Mercell's tendering tools (TendSign, EU-Supply and others) publish openly; suppliers log in to submit, with country-specific support pages per market.
- Comdia 12.9% (Commercial) — [FAQ – Comdia](https://www.comdia.com/faq) Create a free company profile in about five minutes to bid on tenders, apply for supplier lists and join market dialogues.
- Amgros 5.6% (Public) — [User Guide to Submission of Offers – Amgros I/S Tendering System](https://levportal.amgros.dk/SiteCollectionDocuments/Hj%C3%A6lp%20og%20support/User%20Guide%20to%20Submission%20of%20Offers.pdf) Pharmaceutical tenders run on Amgros' own supplier portal (levportal.amgros.dk); log in to bid, with one collective bid per tender group.
- Dalux 4.6% (Commercial) — [Get started as a bidder](https://support.dalux.com/hc/en-us/articles/10373441426972-Get-started-as-a-bidder) Mostly construction tenders; you bid only after the tender manager invites you to create a Dalux user, and only the 'Bid responsible' can submit.
- iBinder 3.6% (Commercial) — [eTendering - iBinder](https://ibinder.com/en/our-services/information-management/etendering/) Construction project platform where buyers invite tenderers to a tender; you receive access by invitation and ask questions and submit within the tender.

## Tender search for this country

- [Comdia](https://www.comdia.com): Danish tendering platform where public buyers run tenders and suppliers register free; also sells daily monitoring of Danish tenders.
- [EU-udbud](https://eu-udbud.dk): Danish search and alert service for Danish, Nordic and EU tenders, with AI match scores and AI analysis of tender documents.
- [Pentimenti](https://pentimenti.ai): Agentic AI platform for bid and proposal management that reads tenders, assesses bids and drafts proposals; includes free TenderScout tender search.
- [Tenderly](https://tenderly.dk): Danish AI platform that monitors Danish and EU tenders, extracts requirements from tender documents and drafts ESPD forms and bid documents.

## Bid consultancies

- [Nordic Tender](https://nordictender.dk): Danish tender consultancy that helps private companies analyse and write bids for public tenders and also advises contracting authorities.

## How to win a tender in Denmark

Danish contracts go to the most economically advantageous tender, judged on price, cost or the best price-quality ratio. Buyers publish the sub-criteria and evaluation method in advance, typically scoring quality on a points scale and converting price with a stated model, so check which sub-criterion carries most weight. Ask questions in the tendering system (often Mercell or Comdia) as early as possible: the buyer must give the supplementary information no later than six days before the deadline, and the anonymised answers become part of the tender material. Learn about the buyer through udbud.dk, TED and its earlier tenders, and request access to documents (aktindsigt) such as earlier contracts and evaluation reports, within the limits for tenders. Write in Danish unless English is allowed, answer each sub-criterion with concrete staff, methods and references, and complete the ESPD carefully, because incorrect answers can exclude you. Bids fail on late submission, unmet minimum requirements (mindstekrav) and reservations (forbehold) against fundamental elements, which make a bid non-compliant. After the decision the buyer must explain its reasons, including the characteristics and relative advantages of the winning tender compared with yours. Use that explanation in the 10-day standstill, and consider a complaint to the Complaints Board for Public Procurement.

1. Find the heaviest-weighted sub-criterion and the price conversion model.
2. Ask questions early in the tendering system; answers come at least six days before the deadline.
3. Request earlier contracts and evaluations from the buyer through aktindsigt.
4. Answer each sub-criterion with named staff, concrete methods and references.
5. Remove every forbehold and check all mindstekrav before submitting.
6. Use the winner's relative advantages from the award letter during the standstill.

Clarification round: Spørgsmål og svar (questions and answers, supplerende oplysninger)

## How contracts are awarded in Denmark

- 28% of tenders are awarded on price alone
- 3 bids per lot (median)
- 27% of lots receive a single bid
- 68% of winners are SMEs

Source: TED, 7,104 contract and award notices from 2025, calculated by TenderRender. (https://ted.europa.eu/en/)

## Bidding in Denmark with TenderRender

TenderRender does the work behind each step above. Your team checks and refines.

- **Research the buyer**: Brings together the buyer's earlier awards, policies and contracts, so your bid fits this buyer's situation in Denmark.
- **Ask questions**: Finds unclear points and risks in the documents and drafts questions about them for the clarification round: Spørgsmål og svar (questions and answers, supplerende oplysninger).
- **Write per criterion**: Drafts a first version per award criterion, in the language of the tender, with citations to your own documents.
- **Review**: Scores your bid per award criterion the way an evaluator would, with concrete improvements.
- **Fill in forms**: Fills in the ESPD, price schedules, questionnaires and Excel annexes from your own data and earlier bids, with a source per answer.
- **Submit**: Builds a checklist of everything you need to submit on udbud.dk and prepares the documents ready to sign.

Tender search covers the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany; in Denmark you upload the documents from udbud.dk and TenderRender works with them the same way.

Teams writing or reviewing with TenderRender won 49% of their completed tenders. https://www.tenderrender.com/en-us/customers/win-rate

All players on the market map: https://www.tenderrender.com/en-us/market-map

## Frequently asked questions

### Where are Danish public tenders published?

Tenders above the EU thresholds are published on TED and shown on udbud.dk, which also lists national tenders such as works under the Tender Act. Documents are usually downloaded from platforms such as Mercell or Comdia.

### Do I need to register?

Searching udbud.dk and TED is free. To access documents and submit a bid you create a free supplier account in the e-tendering platform used by the buyer.

### What are the thresholds in Denmark?

For 2026 and 2027, the EU threshold for supplies and services is DKK 1.044.400 for central government and DKK 1.611.360 for regional and municipal buyers, and DKK 40.313.840 for works. For works below the EU threshold, the Tender Act requires licitation above DKK 3 million.

### Can foreign companies bid in Denmark?

Yes. Companies from the EU and EEA and from countries covered by the WTO Government Procurement Agreement can bid on equal terms and can use equivalent documents from their home country.

### In which language must I submit my tender?

Normally Danish. Some buyers accept English for all or part of the bid; the tender conditions state this.

### How much time do I have to prepare a tender?

Above the EU thresholds an open procedure gives at least 35 days, or 30 days with electronic submission, which is the normal case. Shorter limits apply after a prior information notice or in urgent cases.

### Where can I complain about a Danish tender?

At Klagenævnet for Udbud, the Complaints Board for Public Procurement. A complaint during the 10-day standstill period can stop the contract from being signed.

## Sources

- [Udbudsloven, LBK nr. 10 af 06/01/2023, Retsinformation](https://www.retsinformation.dk/eli/lta/2023/10)
- [Tilbudsloven, Retsinformation](https://www.retsinformation.dk/eli/lta/2007/1410)
- [Konkurrence- og Forbrugerstyrelsen: Tærskelværdier 2026 og 2027](https://kfst.dk/udbud/regler-og-lovgivning/taerskelvaerdier)
- [Klagenævnet for Udbud](https://naevneneshus.dk/start-din-klage/klagenaevnet-for-udbud/)
- [udbud.dk](https://udbud.dk)
- [Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2025/2152 (thresholds 2026-2027)](https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg_del/2025/2152/oj/eng)
- [Folketinget: L 11 (2026-27), forslag til lov om ændring af udbudsloven og ophævelse af tilbudsloven](https://www.ft.dk/samling/20261/lovforslag/l11/index.htm)
- [Klagenævnet for Udbud – PlanMiljø mod Miljøstyrelsen (udbudsloven § 171, stk. 4: begrundelse og relative fordele)](https://klfu.naevneneshus.dk/media/documents/PlanMilj%C3%B8_ApS_mod_Milj%C3%B8styrelsen.pdf)
- [Konkurrence- og Forbrugerstyrelsen – Vejledning om aktindsigt i udbudssager (2024)](https://kfst.dk/media/pboiidxf/vejledning-om-aktindsigt-i-udbudssager.pdf)
- [EUR-Lex – Directive 2014/24/EU on public procurement (Art. 47, 53, 55, 67, 69)](https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dir/2014/24/oj/eng)
- [SKI (Staten og Kommunernes Indkøbsservice)](https://www.ski.dk/)
- [TED - EU Tenders, the Supplement to the Official Journal](https://ted.europa.eu/en/)
- [European single procurement document and eCertis](https://single-market-economy.ec.europa.eu/single-market/public-procurement/digital-procurement/european-single-procurement-document-and-ecertis_en)
- [kfst.dk](https://kfst.dk/udbud)