CPV 354 – Ammunition and Weapons

What does CPV Group 354 cover?

CPV Group 354 (35400000) classifies public contracts for vehicles, ordnance and munitions – a specific and highly regulated procurement category covering military and law enforcement vehicles, combat vehicle systems, and munitions of various types. This includes armoured personnel carriers and infantry fighting vehicles, military trucks and utility vehicles, police armoured vehicles, land mines (in contexts where relevant), artillery shells, naval mines and torpedoes, air-delivered bombs and missiles, small arms ammunition for police and military use, as well as pyrotechnic devices and training munitions.

Procurement under CPV 354 is among the most strictly regulated categories in European public procurement. Arms and munitions procurement for the armed forces falls under the Defence Procurement Directive (2009/81/EC) with its special provisions for classified specifications, security of supply guarantees and industrial security requirements. Police ammunition procurement may follow standard procurement rules (VgV/UVgO) below threshold values or the Defence Directive above them, depending on the classification of the products concerned.

National export control legislation, EU dual-use regulations and weapons trading law create additional legal layers that must be observed by both contracting authorities and suppliers. Some categories of munitions procurement are exempt from the general obligation to advertise publicly under §107 GWB (defence and security exceptions).

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 354

• Small arms ammunition (pistol, rifle, shotgun) for police and military
• Artillery ammunition and propellant charges
• Training and practice ammunition for military and law enforcement
• Pyrotechnic devices for military and civilian use
• Police armoured response vehicles
• Armoured personnel carriers and infantry fighting vehicles

Examples of Tenders with CPV 354

• Small arms ammunition for a state police authority: A state police procurement agency tenders a multi-year framework for supply of 9mm duty ammunition and various training and practice rounds for its police officers.
• Military training ammunition for an armed forces base: A defence procurement agency procures blank firing cartridges, practice grenades and pyrotechnic training aids for use in military training exercises.
• Armoured police vehicles for a federal police agency: A federal police authority procures armoured multipurpose police vehicles for its rapid response units, with ballistic protection to a specified VPAM standard and defined equipment fit.

Current tenders with CPV 354 are published on TED (Tenders Electronic Daily) where applicable under the Defence Procurement Directive. Non-sensitive below-threshold contracts may appear on national platforms such as DTVP.

Who is CPV 354 relevant for?

Public Contracting Authorities

National armed forces procurement agencies, federal and state police procurement authorities, customs and border protection agencies and civil protection services are the contracting authorities under CPV 354. Strict compliance with defence procurement law, export control regulations and national weapons law is mandatory.

Companies and Bidders

Ammunition manufacturers, armoured vehicle producers and defence industry system integrators are the principal bidders. Arms trading licences, facility security clearance, ballistic protection certification (VPAM, NIJ standards), export control compliance and demonstrated supply security capability are essential eligibility requirements.

Information on the legal basis for defence and security procurement is available from the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK).

How does Bond help with CPV 354?

Tender Match – Automatically Find Tenders (CPV 354)

With tender.match, ammunition manufacturers, armoured vehicle producers and defence supply specialists automatically receive all relevant tenders with CPV 354 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 ordnance and vehicle 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 354)

For companies looking for suppliers, subcontractors, or consortium partners for ordnance and vehicle projects, company.match provides direct access to qualified firms from an EU-wide database of over 28 million companies. Especially for larger defence procurement programmes, company.match automatically identifies suitable partners for bidding consortia and partial services – increasing the chances of winning the contract.

Frequently Asked Questions about CPV 354

What does the CPV code 35400000 mean?

The CPV code 35400000 covers the group of military vehicles and ordnance in the EU's Common Procurement Vocabulary. It classifies public contracts for the supply of ammunition, munitions and armoured vehicles to armed forces and law enforcement authorities under the applicable defence and security procurement rules.

How do I find tenders with CPV 354?

Above-threshold defence procurement tenders are published on TED under the Defence Directive. Non-sensitive below-threshold contracts may appear on DTVP. Bond aggregates all published sources and delivers targeted results.

What are the requirements for participating in tenders with CPV 354?

Requirements typically include arms trading licences, facility and personnel security clearance, ballistic protection certification, export control compliance documentation and references for comparable defence procurement supply. The procurement framework is defined by Directive 2009/81/EC and the VgV for applicable elements.