CPV 181 – Outerwear

What does CPV Group 181 cover?

CPV Group 181 (18100000) classifies public contracts for the procurement of outerwear – the outer garment layer worn by public sector employees in operational, administrative and representative roles. This encompasses duty jackets, uniform trousers, overcoats and waterproof outer shells, operational combat clothing for the armed forces, ceremonial dress, fleet officer uniforms and administrative service clothing for government ministries and public bodies.

Outerwear is the highest-volume sub-category within CPV Division 18. Police forces, customs services, the armed forces, fire services, correctional services and municipal enforcement bodies all maintain uniform outerwear as a mandatory element of their operational identity. Large framework agreements for service clothing – covering jackets, trousers, shirts and outer coats – are regularly tendered by police administrations at national and regional level.

Beyond uniformed services, outerwear is also procured for public transport drivers, postal workers in public ownership, stadium stewards for publicly operated venues and municipal park ranger services. Sustainable procurement criteria (e.g. GOTS-certified fabrics, verified supply chain audits) and corporate social responsibility requirements are increasingly embedded in outerwear tenders.

Further information on the CPV system is available from the European Commission (SIMAP) and Regulation (EC) No 213/2008 amending the CPV.

Typical Services in CPV 181

• Service and duty jackets for uniformed public sector staff
• Uniform trousers and shorts for operational personnel
• Waterproof and weatherproof outer shells and anoraks
• Overcoats, dress uniforms and ceremonial clothing
• Combat and operational field clothing for the military
• Administrative dress and ministerial livery

Examples of Tenders with CPV 181

• Service jacket and trouser supply for a regional police force: A regional police administration tenders multi-year supply of service jackets, cargo trousers and waterproof overjackets for its operational officers, with defined colour specifications and EN standard compliance for high-visibility elements.
• Outer clothing for a customs authority: A customs agency procures operational outer coats, duty jackets and uniform trousers for its border control officers, with requirements for durability testing and uniform conformity across all locations.
• Municipal parks ranger uniforms: A city council procures a complete outer clothing package for its parks ranger team, including lightweight summer jackets, fleece mid-layers, waterproof overjackets and uniform trousers in corporate colours.

Current tenders with CPV 181 are published on TED (Tenders Electronic Daily) and on national procurement platforms such as the German Procurement Portal (DTVP).

Who is CPV 181 relevant for?

Public Contracting Authorities

State and federal police administrations, customs services, the armed forces, municipal enforcement services, public transport operators and fire services are the key contracting authorities under CPV 181. Colour fastness, durability testing, uniform conformity and sustainable sourcing are common specification requirements.

Companies and Bidders

Uniform manufacturers, textile producers and specialist workwear suppliers are the main bidders. Manufacturing capability, quality management certification (ISO 9001), fabric and colour standard compliance, and references for comparable high-volume government uniform contracts are essential competitive requirements.

Information on eligibility criteria and procurement procedures is available from the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK).

How does Bond help with CPV 181?

Tender Match – Automatically Find Tenders (CPV 181)

With tender.match, uniform manufacturers, textile suppliers and workwear companies automatically receive all relevant tenders with CPV 181 directly in their dashboard. BOND indexes tenders from over 1,000 procurement portals in the EU – from TED to national platforms and regional contracting authorities. Instead of manually searching dozens of portals every day, matching outerwear and uniform contracts are filtered and delivered by industry, competency, region, and company profile. An automated gap analysis immediately shows where the company meets the requirements and where gaps exist. This ensures companies never miss a deadline and can focus on preparing their bids.

Company Match – Find the Right Partners and Suppliers (CPV 181)

For companies looking for suppliers, subcontractors, or consortium partners for outerwear and uniform projects, company.match provides direct access to qualified firms from an EU-wide database of over 28 million companies. Especially for larger uniform framework contracts that a single supplier cannot fulfil alone, company.match automatically identifies suitable partners for bidding consortia and partial services – increasing the chances of winning the contract.

Frequently Asked Questions about CPV 181

What does the CPV code 18100000 mean?

The CPV code 18100000 covers the group "Outerwear" in the EU's Common Procurement Vocabulary. It classifies public contracts for the supply of outer garments and service clothing for public sector employees, from police and military uniforms to operational and ceremonial outerwear.

How do I find tenders with CPV 181?

Tenders with CPV 181 are published at EU level on TED. Below-threshold contracts are commonly found on national platforms such as DTVP. Bond aggregates all sources and delivers targeted results.

What are the requirements for participating in tenders with CPV 181?

Requirements typically include quality management certification, fabric and colour standard compliance, durability testing documentation, sustainable sourcing evidence and references for comparable uniform supply contracts. Details are governed by the VgV or the UVgO depending on contract value.