CPV 184 – Special Clothing and Accessories

What does CPV 184 cover?

CPV group 184 (18400000) covers public contracts for special clothing and accessories – uniforms, official ceremonial dress, costumes for special occasions, sportswear, swimwear, stage and theatrical costumes, and other specialised clothing intended for specific professional roles or situations. The group covers clothing with a particular identification or representative character.

In the public sector, uniforms and official dress are the dominant procurement items: judicial robes for courts, ceremonial dress for commemorative events, sportswear for public sports facilities and swimming pools, and theatrical costumes for municipal theatres. Specialised clothing for public ceremonies and state functions is also procured under CPV 184.

Within CPV division 18, group 184 is distinguished from group 181 (protective clothing) by the absence of a primary protective function. It differs from group 182 (outerwear) by the special or representative character of the clothing, and from group 183 by the specific purpose (office, sport, ceremony) of the garments. Further information on the CPV system is available from the European Commission (SIMAP) and Regulation (EC) No 213/2008.

Typical Services in CPV 184

• Judicial robes and official dress for courts and public authorities
• Sportswear and swimwear for municipal sports centres and swimming pools
• Theatrical costumes and stage clothing for municipal theatres
• Representative uniforms for ceremonies and state receptions

Examples of Tenders with CPV 184

• Judicial Robes for a Regional Court: A higher regional court procures the supply of judicial robes to defined fabric and colour specifications for multiple chambers and judges.
• Sportswear for a Municipal Swimming Pool: A municipal swimming and leisure centre procures sports swimwear and swimming caps for teaching staff, school swimming classes, and pupils without their own swimwear.
• Theatrical Costumes for a Municipal Theatre: A city theatre procures a basic costume stock for classical and contemporary productions, with requirements for workmanship quality and historical accuracy.

Current tenders with CPV 184 are published on TED (Tenders Electronic Daily) and on national procurement platforms.

Who is CPV 184 relevant for?

Public Contracting Authorities

Courts and prosecutors' offices, municipal theatres and cultural institutions, sports facilities operated by public bodies, schools, ceremonial authorities and state protocol offices are the typical contracting authorities under CPV 184. Quality and authenticity of the special clothing are frequently the primary focus in these tenders.

Companies and Bidders

Uniform tailors, theatrical costume manufacturers, sportswear producers, and specialist garment makers can win public contracts under CPV 184. Artisan quality, historical expertise, and individual customisation capabilities are typical differentiating factors. Information on eligibility requirements and procurement procedures is available from the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK).

How does Bond help with CPV 184?

Tender Match – Automatically Find Tenders (CPV 184)

With tender.match, uniform tailors and special clothing suppliers automatically receive all relevant tenders with CPV 184 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 special clothing 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 184)

For companies looking for suppliers, subcontractors, or consortium partners for special clothing projects, company.match provides direct access to qualified firms from an EU-wide database of over 28 million companies. Especially for larger clothing contracts that a single company cannot handle 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 184

What does the CPV code 18400000 mean?

The CPV code 18400000 designates the group "Special clothing and accessories" in the Common Procurement Vocabulary. It covers uniforms, official ceremonial dress, sportswear, and theatrical costumes with a particular representative or functional character used in EU public procurement.

How do I find tenders with CPV 184?

Tenders with CPV 184 are published at EU level on TED and on national platforms.

What are the requirements for participating in tenders with CPV 184?

Typical requirements include proof of craft qualifications, material quality certificates, references for comparable special clothing contracts, and bespoke fitting and alteration capacities. Details are governed by the VgV and UVgO depending on contract value.