The Public Procurement Glossary is online!

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THE PUBLIC PROCUREMENT GLOSSARY

– 100 important terms in Public Procurement!

 

Disclaimer: Nohrcon cannot be held responsible for any errors in the Public Procurement Glossary. The information provided is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. The Public Procurement Glossary was made with the assistance of AI.

 

A

 

• Amendment: A correction or change in the procurement documents.

 

• Approved Supplier List: A list of suppliers pre-approved to provide certain goods or services.

 

• Award Criteria: The criteria used by a contracting authority to select the most advantageous offer.

 

B

 

• Best Value Procurement (BVP): A procurement method focusing on obtaining the most value, rather than just the lowest price.

 

• Bid Deadline: The last date and time by which bids must be received by the contracting authority.

 

• Bid Round: A phase where suppliers submit their proposals.

 

• Bidders: Companies or individuals submitting offers in a procurement process.

 

• Breakdown: The division of a contract into smaller parts or lots.

 

C

 

• Cancellation: The termination of a procurement procedure or contract.

 

• Capability Assessment: An assessment of a supplier’s ability to meet the contract’s requirements.

 

• Central Purchasing Body: An entity that purchases goods or services on behalf of other public authorities.

 

• Change Clause: A clause in a contract that allows for changes under certain conditions.

 

• Change Order: An official instruction to change the scope, schedule, or price of a contract.

 

• Clauses: Specific provisions in a contract ensuring compliance with agreed terms.

 

• Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV): A classification code for goods and services in public procurement within the EU.

 

• Complaint Procedure: The process for suppliers to lodge complaints about the procurement process or contract award.

 

• Competitive Dialogue: A procedure where the contracting authority conducts a dialogue with suppliers to develop suitable solutions and identify the best option.

 

• Contract Management: The administration, monitoring, and optimization of contracts to ensure compliance and fulfillment.

 

• Contract Modification: Changes to the terms and conditions of an existing contract.

 

• Contract Notice: A public announcement of a contract to be tendered, published in the Official Journal of the EU or other public platforms.

 

• Contracting Authority: The public entity responsible for initiating and managing procurement processes.

 

• Cost Analysis: An analysis of the costs associated with delivering a good or service.

 

D

 

• Declaration of Honor: A statement by a bidder confirming compliance with certain requirements, often related to ethical standards or legislation.

 

• Deadline: The last date and time for the receipt of tenders or requests to participate.

 

• Direct Award: A procedure where a contract is awarded directly to a supplier without a formal competition.

 

• Due Diligence: A thorough investigation or review of a potential contract, supplier, or project.

 

• Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS): An electronic system for commonly used purchases of goods, works, or services.

 

E

 

• Economically Most Advantageous Tender (MEAT): The bid that offers the best combination of price and quality.

 

• Economic and Financial Standing: An assessment of a supplier’s economic and financial capability to fulfill the contract’s requirements.

 

• Enforcement: The process of ensuring compliance with contract terms and addressing any violations.

 

• Equal Treatment Principle: The legal principle ensuring all suppliers are treated equally and without discrimination.

 

• Estimated Contract Value: The anticipated cost of acquiring a product or service.

 

• EU Tender: A tender subject to EU procurement rules and published in the Official Journal of the EU.

 

• EU Public Procurement Directives: A unified legal framework that ensures fair and competitive public procurement across EU member states. They provide rules on how public contracts for goods, services, and works should be awarded, promoting transparency and efficiency.

 

• European Single Procurement Document (ESPD): A standard form used in the EU as preliminary evidence of eligibility in public procurement.

 

• Evaluation: The process of assessing and comparing offers against criteria to identify the best offer.

 

• Execution Period: The period during which a contract is in force, and work is to be performed.

 

• Exclusion Grounds: Specific circumstances that can prevent a supplier from participating in a procurement process, such as previous legal violations.

 

• Fair Competition: A principle ensuring all suppliers have equal access to compete for contracts.

 

• Failed Tender: A procurement process that does not result in a contract award due to unacceptable or no received offers.

 

• Framework Agreement: An agreement between one or more public authorities and one or more suppliers, setting the terms for contracts to be awarded during a given period.

 

G

 

• Green Public Procurement (GPP): Focuses on incorporating environmental criteria into public procurement to minimize environmental impact and promote sustainability.

 

I

 

• Impartiality: The principle that requires decision-makers to be neutral and unbiased.

 

• Implementation Period: The time it takes to implement a contract post-award.

 

• Independent Evaluator: A person not involved in the procurement process who reviews and assesses bids.

 

• Indicative Tender Price: The price expected by the contracting authority for the contract.

 

• Innovation Partnerships: A procedure where partnerships are formed to develop and purchase new, innovative goods, services, or works.

 

• Invitation to Negotiate: An invitation to selected suppliers to negotiate specific aspects of their offers.

 

• Invitation to Tender: An official request for suppliers to submit a bid for a specific good, service, or work.

 

J

 

• Joint Venture: A collaboration between two or more businesses to fulfill a contract.

 

L

 

• Legal Review: The process of ensuring a contract is legally sound and compliant with applicable laws L and regulations.

 

M

 

• Market Research: An investigation into the market to gather information on potential suppliers, prices, and products.

 

• Minimum Requirements: The essential criteria that all offers must meet to be considered.

 

N

 

• Negotiated Procedure: A procurement process involving prequalification, where the contracting authority may negotiate with bidders.

 

• Negotiated Procedure Without Prior Publication: A procedure where the contracting authority negotiates directly with one or more suppliers without prior advertisement.

 

• National Tenders: Tenders regulated solely by national procurement laws.

 

O

 

• Open Procedure: A procurement procedure where all interested suppliers may submit bids.

 

• Options: Rights, but not obligations, to purchase additional goods or services under certain conditions in a contract.

 

• Preference Margin: An advantage given to certain suppliers, typically due to geographic location or business type.

 

• Prequalification: The process by which a contracting authority selects suppliers meeting certain minimum requirements for participation in a tender.

 

• Public Procurement: The process by which public authorities purchase goods, services, and works from private sector companies. It aims to ensure that these procurements are conducted transparently, fairly, and efficiently.

 

• Procurement Process: Typically divided into before, during, and after procurement—comprising a series of tasks the contracting authority must perform, such as choosing the procurement procedure, setting selection criteria, preparing procurement documents, evaluating bids, awarding contracts, and contract management.

 

• Procurement Procedures: The different types of procurement methods, including Open Procedure, Restricted Procedure, Competitive Dialogue, Innovation Partnerships, Design Contests, Negotiated Procedure.

 

• Procurement Strategy: A plan outlining the approach to purchasing goods and services.

 

• Public Procurement Contract: A contract between a public authority and a private supplier for goods, services, or works.

 

• Public-Private Collaboration (PPC): An agreement where public and private sectors collaborate to deliver a service or project.

 

• Public-Private Partnerships (PPP): A contract between a public authority and a private company where the company provides a public service or project, assuming significant risk.

 

Q

 

• Qualification Criteria: The requirements a supplier must meet to participate in a procurement process.

 

• Qualification System: A system used by public authorities to pre-qualify suppliers and products for future contracts.

 

• Quantitative Evaluation: Evaluation based on measurable and numerical criteria.

 

R

 

• Reserved Contract: A contract reserved for suppliers whose main aim is the social and professional integration of disabled or disadvantaged persons.

 

• Restricted Procedure: A procurement method where only selected suppliers are invited to tender.

 

• Risk Assessment: A systematic process of identifying and evaluating potential risks in a procurement process.

 

S

 

• Sample: A representative portion of a product provided as an example of its quality.

 

• Scope of Work: A detailed description of the work to be performed under a contract.

 

• Selection Criteria: The specific requirements that a supplier must meet to qualify for participation in a procurement process. These criteria assess aspects such as financial standing, technical capability, and experience.

 

• Self-Cleaning: The opportunity for suppliers to demonstrate their reliability despite previous exclusions.

 

• Social Considerations: The obligation to consider social, environmental, and other relevant factors in public contracts.

 

• Sourcing: The process of finding and selecting suppliers to provide goods or services.

 

• Standstill Notice/Period: A notice that marks the beginning of the standstill period following the decision to award a contract, during which unsuccessful bidders can lodge complaints.

 

• Standardized Goods: Goods that are uniform and interchangeable, often purchased in bulk.

 

• Subcontract: A contract in which a supplier outsources part of the work they have agreed to perform under a main contract.

 

• Substantial Change: A change to a contract so significant that it would have attracted different bidders if included in the original tender.

 

• Suitability Assessment: Evaluation of whether a supplier is suitable to perform a contract.

 

• Supplier Performance: Evaluation of how well a supplier fulfills its contractual obligations.

 

• Supplier Selection: The process of choosing the supplier to be invited to participate in a procurement process.

 

• Sustainable Procurement: Public procurement with a focus on environmental, climate, and responsibility considerations.

 

T

 

• Technical Specifications: A detailed description of the technical requirements for a good or service to be purchased.

 

• Threshold Values: The monetary thresholds determining whether a contract is subject to EU procurement rules, set every four years.

 

• Transparency Principle: The principle requiring openness and clarity throughout the public procurement process.

 

U

 

• Utilities Directive: Directive regulating procurement contracts in the U utilities sector.

 

V

 

• Value for Money: The assessment of a product or service’s worth relative to its cost.

 

• Vetting: The process of conducting a background check on suppliers to assess their reliability and suitability.

 

• W

 

• Warranty: A guarantee provided by a supplier regarding the quality and performance of goods or services.

 

• Withdrawal: The act of a supplier removing their bid from a procurement process.

 

• Withholding Tax: A tax retained by the contracting authority from payments made to suppliers, typically related to services or work contracts.

 

• Written Notice: A formal communication from the contracting authority or supplier, typically required for contract modifications or terminations.

 

• Written Procedure: A method used by the contracting authority to gather and evaluate bids, questions, or clarifications in writing.

 

Y

 

• Yearly Spend Analysis: A report that provides an overview of an organization’s annual expenditures on procurement activities.

 

Z

 

• Zero-Cost Contract: A contract in which the supplier provides goods or services at no cost, often in exchange for other considerations or benefits.

 

 

We hope The Public Procurement Glossary will be of great use to you!

 

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