# How do public tenders work in Türkiye?

Public procurement in Turkey is governed by Public Procurement Law No. 4734 and supervised by the Public Procurement Authority (Kamu İhale Kurumu, KİK). Tenders are published in the Public Procurement Bulletin on the EKAP platform, where bidders must register and submit e-tenders with an electronic signature. Foreign companies may bid, but contracting authorities can restrict below-threshold tenders to domestic bidders and apply a price advantage of up to 15% for Turkish bidders and domestic goods.

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/turkiye

## At a glance

- Law: [4734 sayılı Kamu İhale Kanunu](https://www.mevzuat.gov.tr/mevzuatmetin/1.5.4734.pdf)
- Oversight: [Kamu İhale Kurumu (KİK)](https://www.kik.gov.tr)
- Central portal: [Elektronik Kamu Alımları Platformu (EKAP)](https://ekap.kik.gov.tr)
- Thresholds: Threshold (Art. 8a): supplies and services, general and special budget administrations (1 Feb 2026 – 31 Jan 2027): TRY 18.734.124 ([source](https://www.resmigazete.gov.tr/eskiler/2026/01/20260122-3.htm))
- Thresholds: Threshold (Art. 8b): supplies and services, other contracting authorities: TRY 31.223.628 ([source](https://www.resmigazete.gov.tr/eskiler/2026/01/20260122-3.htm))
- Thresholds: Threshold (Art. 8c): works, all contracting authorities: TRY 686.924.429 ([source](https://www.resmigazete.gov.tr/eskiler/2026/01/20260122-3.htm))
- Thresholds: Direct procurement (doğrudan temin, Art. 22d): administrations within metropolitan municipality boundaries / other administrations: TRY 1.021.827 / TRY 340.391 ([source](https://www.resmigazete.gov.tr/eskiler/2026/01/20260122-3.htm))
- Thresholds: Domestic price advantage for Turkish bidders (services, works) and for domestic goods (Art. 63): up to 15% ([source](https://www.mevzuat.gov.tr/mevzuatmetin/1.5.4734.pdf))
- Thresholds: Minimum notice, open procedure at or above threshold (Art. 13): 40 days (can be shortened by 7 days for electronic notices and by 5 more with full EKAP document access) ([source](https://www.mevzuat.gov.tr/mevzuatmetin/1.5.4734.pdf))
- Thresholds: Standstill before contract signature (Art. 41): 10 days (5 days in urgent negotiated procedures) ([source](https://www.mevzuat.gov.tr/mevzuatmetin/1.5.4734.pdf))

## Law and buyers

The legal basis is Kamu İhale Kanunu No. 4734 (Public Procurement Law, 2002), supplemented by Law No. 4735 on public procurement contracts and implementing regulations issued by the Public Procurement Authority (Kamu İhale Kurumu, KİK). Turkey is not an EU member and is not a party to the WTO Government Procurement Agreement, so EU directives and TED do not apply. Buyers include ministries and other general-budget bodies, special-budget administrations, municipalities, state economic enterprises and other public legal entities. Some areas, such as certain defence and security purchases and some activities of state enterprises, are exempt under Article 3 of the law and follow their own rules. KİK maintains the rules, the electronic platform and the review of complaints.

## Where tenders are published

Tender notices are published in the Kamu İhale Bülteni (Public Procurement Bulletin), which is issued on EKAP, the Electronic Public Procurement Platform run by KİK. For tenders below the threshold, the law also requires publication in a local newspaper and an internet news site for the smaller value bands. To download documents and submit an electronic tender (e-teklif), a bidder must be registered in EKAP, and e-tenders are signed with a qualified electronic signature (e-imza). Registration for Turkish companies draws on national company and tax registers; foreign companies should check the current EKAP registration guidance from KİK before their first tender. Commercial tender alert services also aggregate EKAP notices.

## Procedures and thresholds

Article 18 of Law 4734 provides three procedures: açık ihale (open procedure, anyone may bid), belli istekliler arasında ihale (restricted procedure with prequalification) and pazarlık usulü (negotiated procedure, only in the cases listed in Article 21). Low-value needs may be bought by doğrudan temin (direct procurement) under Article 22. Thresholds are fixed in Turkish lira and updated every year on 1 February by KİK communiqué in line with the producer price index; above them, longer notice periods apply. Under Article 63, authorities may limit tenders below the threshold to domestic bidders, and may grant domestic bidders in services and works, and bidders offering domestic goods, a price advantage of up to 15%; for listed medium and high-tech goods and domestic software the 15% advantage is mandatory.

## Documents and language

Article 10 allows authorities to ask for evidence of economic and financial standing (bank letters, balance sheets, turnover) and of technical capacity (registration with the relevant chamber, authority to bid, work experience certificates from the last fifteen years, quality certificates). A bid bond (geçici teminat) is normally required, and the winner provides a performance guarantee (kesin teminat). Tenders are prepared in Turkish. Official documents issued abroad must carry an apostille if the issuing country is a party to the Hague Apostille Convention, or otherwise be certified by the Turkish consulate, and they are submitted with Turkish translations as set out in the implementing regulations. A joint venture only counts as a domestic bidder if all its partners are domestic.

## Deadlines, award and challenges

Above the threshold, an open tender must be advertised at least 40 days before the tender date, a prequalification notice at least 14 days before the application deadline and a negotiated tender at least 25 days ahead; electronic publication can shorten the open-procedure period. Below the threshold the minimum is 7, 14 or 21 days depending on value. The contract goes to the economically most advantageous tender, based on price alone or on price plus quality, cost and technical criteria, after applying any domestic price advantage. No contract may be signed until 10 days after all bidders are notified (5 days in urgent negotiated cases). Complaints go first to the contracting authority within 10 days, then to KİK (itirazen şikayet) within 10 days, against a fee scaled to contract value.

## Tips for bidders

Register in EKAP and arrange a qualified electronic signature well before the deadline, because both take time for a foreign company. Check the administrative specification (idari şartname) of each tender for a domestic-only clause or a domestic price advantage, as these change the competitive picture considerably. Many foreign firms bid through a Turkish subsidiary or a joint venture, but remember that a joint venture with a foreign partner does not count as a domestic bidder. Start apostilles and sworn Turkish translations early. Foreign bidders get extra time to sign the contract: Article 42 adds twelve days to the ten-day period. Watch the annual 1 February update of thresholds and limits.

## Platforms in Türkiye

This country does not publish on TED, so there are no shares. These are the platforms from our market map, public ones first.

- EKAP (Electronic Public Procurement Platform) (Public) — [EKAP Yardım Portalı](https://ekap.kik.gov.tr/EKAP/Yardim/Default.aspx) Bidders must register with EKAP (separate guides for foreign firms); downloading tender documents and submitting e-bids require an e-signature.

## Tender search for this country

- [İhale Metrik](https://ihalemetrik.com): Turkish public tender platform with AI fit scoring, specification risk analysis, competitor and winner data, and instant alerts across all 81 provinces.
- [İhalebul.com](https://ihalebul.com): Turkish tender search service listing public (EKAP and newspaper) and private tenders, with results, buyer and contractor search, bulletins and alerts.
- [İhaleKap](https://ihalekap.net): AI-assisted EKAP tender tracking that scores each tender 0–100 for fit, analyses specifications for knockout criteria and risks, and shows past winners.
- [ihalepro](https://ihalepro.com): Turkish tender tracking platform with daily tender reports, AI recommendations, competitor, buyer and sector analysis, and searchable results and contracts.
- [Tendermeister](https://tendermeister.com): Tender software for Germany that scans procurement portals, reviews documents for knock-out criteria and deadlines and supports bid preparation.

## How to win a tender in Türkiye

Under Turkey's Public Procurement Law No. 4734, the contract goes to the economically most advantageous tender. That can be price alone, or price combined with non-price factors such as operating and maintenance cost, cost-effectiveness, productivity, quality and technical merit; when non-price factors count, the tender documents must give their monetary values or relative weights, and any domestic price advantage is applied before ranking. Many tenders are decided on price, so first check which model applies. You can submit a written clarification request up to twenty days before the bid deadline; if the authority accepts it, the explanation goes to everyone who obtained the documents, without naming you, at least ten days before the deadline. Changes to the documents come as an addendum (zeyilname). The commission identifies abnormally low bids against other bids or the estimated cost and asks for written explanations; bids with insufficient or no explanation are rejected. Past results and Public Procurement Authority (KİK) board decisions on EKAP help you understand a buyer and common rejection grounds. Every bidder must be told the result within three days of approval, with reasons for rejecting bids; complaints go to the authority within ten days.

1. Check whether award is price-only or uses weighted non-price factors.
2. File clarification requests at least twenty days before the bid deadline.
3. Read every zeyilname; it changes the binding tender documents.
4. Prepare a cost breakdown to defend a low price if asked.
5. Read the reasons in the result notice and complain within ten days.

Clarification round: Açıklama talebi (clarification request); changes via zeyilname (addendum)

## Bidding in Türkiye 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 Türkiye.
- **Ask questions**: Finds unclear points and risks in the documents and drafts questions about them for the clarification round: Açıklama talebi (clarification request); changes via zeyilname (addendum).
- **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 declarations, 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 Elektronik Kamu Alımları Platformu (EKAP) and prepares the documents ready to sign.

Tender search covers the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany; in Türkiye you upload the documents from Elektronik Kamu Alımları Platformu (EKAP) 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 public tenders in Turkey published?

In the Kamu İhale Bülteni (Public Procurement Bulletin) on EKAP, the Electronic Public Procurement Platform of the Public Procurement Authority (KİK). Small below-threshold tenders are also advertised in local newspapers and internet news sites.

### Do I need to register to bid?

Yes. To take part in tenders run through EKAP you must be registered on the platform, and electronic tenders are signed with a qualified electronic signature (e-imza).

### What are the thresholds?

From 1 February 2026 to 31 January 2027 the thresholds are TRY 18,734,124 for supplies and services of central budget bodies, TRY 31,223,628 for those of other authorities and TRY 686,924,429 for works. They are updated every year by KİK communiqué.

### Can foreign companies bid?

Yes, unless the authority has restricted a below-threshold tender to domestic bidders under Article 63. Foreign bidders may also face a price advantage of up to 15% in favour of Turkish bidders or domestic goods.

### In which language must I bid?

In Turkish. Foreign official documents need an apostille or consular certification and a Turkish translation.

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

Above the threshold, at least 40 days for an open procedure (shorter with electronic publication). Below the threshold, at least 7, 14 or 21 days depending on value.

### Who counts as a domestic bidder?

Turkish citizens and legal entities set up under Turkish law. A joint venture counts as domestic only if all its partners are domestic.

## Sources

- [Law No. 4734 on Public Procurement, consolidated text (mevzuat.gov.tr)](https://www.mevzuat.gov.tr/mevzuatmetin/1.5.4734.pdf)
- [Kamu İhale Tebliği No. 2026/1 – thresholds and monetary limits from 1 February 2026 (Resmî Gazete 22.01.2026, No. 33145)](https://www.resmigazete.gov.tr/eskiler/2026/01/20260122-3.htm)
- [Kamu İhale Kurumu (Public Procurement Authority)](https://www.kik.gov.tr)
- [EKAP – Electronic Public Procurement Platform](https://ekap.kik.gov.tr)
- [Kamu İhale Kurumu – legislation overview, incl. Mal Alımı İhaleleri Uygulama Yönetmeliği (Art. 29: apostille and translation of foreign documents)](https://www.kik.gov.tr/Mevzuat.aspx)