CPV 373 – Musical Instruments and Parts

What does CPV 373 cover?

CPV group 373 covers the procurement of musical instruments and associated parts for public institutions. This includes keyboard instruments (pianos, grand pianos, organs, keyboards), stringed instruments (violins, violas, cellos, double basses), wind instruments (flutes, oboes, clarinets, French horns, trumpets), plucked instruments (guitars, harps), percussion instruments (drum kits, xylophones, timpani), electronic instruments and amplifiers. Spare parts such as strings, mouthpieces and bows are also covered.

Contracting authorities include public music schools, general-education schools, music academies, municipal cultural facilities, theatres and opera houses, and publicly funded music societies. Procurements arise at the founding or expansion of institutions, but also as ongoing replacement needs. The full CPV structure is available at the European Commission (SIMAP) and the legal basis is set out in Regulation (EC) No 213/2008.

Quality requirements are particularly important in this area: pedagogical instruments for beginners differ considerably from concert instruments for professional musicians. Tenders frequently define minimum quality standards, require trial performances as evidence of suitability, and reference specific makes or manufacturers as permitted examples (with the addition "or equivalent"). The tuning and maintenance of pianos and organs are often included as accompanying services.

Typical Services in CPV 373

• Pianos and grand pianos (practice and concert grade)
• Stringed instruments (violins in junior sizes through full size)
• Woodwind and brass instruments for school orchestras
• Guitars (classical, acoustic, electric)
• Drum kits and percussion instruments
• Electronic keyboard instruments and synthesisers
• Spare parts: strings, bows, mouthpieces, drum heads

Examples of Tenders with CPV 373

• Procurement of stringed instruments for a municipal music school: Delivery of 40 violins in various junior sizes (1/8 to 4/4), 15 violas and 8 cellos with bows and cases for string teaching at a music school – published on TED (Tenders Electronic Daily).
• Equipping a music grammar school with classroom instruments: Delivery of six concert grand pianos (or equivalent) and 20 keyboards with stands for music rooms and practice rooms of a new specialist music school – published.
• Framework agreement for wind instruments in primary schools across a district: Call-off contract for clarinets, flutes and trumpets at beginner quality with cases and cleaning sets for the district's school wind music programme – published on TED.

Current tenders with CPV 373 are published on TED (Tenders Electronic Daily) and on national procurement platforms.

Who is CPV 373 relevant for?

Public Contracting Authorities

Municipal music schools, schools with a music specialism, music conservatoires, theatres and opera houses are the main contracting authorities. Pedagogical quality, durability under school conditions and ease of maintenance are central procurement criteria. District-level framework agreements covering multiple schools offer good value. Further guidance is available from the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK).

Companies and Bidders

Musical instrument retailers, wholesalers and manufacturers find a stable market in public schools and cultural institutions. Expert knowledge in advising buyers, service concepts (tuning, repair) and breadth of catalogue are important differentiating factors.

How does Bond help with CPV 373?

Tender Match – Automatically Find Tenders (CPV 373)

With tender.match, musical instrument retailers and manufacturers automatically receive all relevant tenders with CPV 373 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 musical instrument 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 373)

For companies looking for suppliers, subcontractors, or consortium partners for music school and cultural institution projects, company.match provides direct access to qualified firms from an EU-wide database of over 28 million companies. Especially for larger instrument supply 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 373

What does the CPV code 37300000 mean?

The CPV code 37300000 classifies musical instruments and parts within the EU's Common Procurement Vocabulary. It covers all instruments procured by public educational and cultural institutions – from beginner instruments for school pupils through professional-grade concert instruments to electronic keyboards and spare parts.

How do I find tenders with CPV 373?

Tenders are published on TED (Tenders Electronic Daily) for EU-wide procedures and on national platforms. Bond aggregates all relevant tenders automatically.

What are the requirements for participating in tenders with CPV 373?

Manufacturer guarantees, references for comparable institutional supply projects and maintenance/tuning concepts are typically required. Instrument quality must meet the specifications set out in the tender, which may reference specific product types "or equivalent." The applicable frameworks are VgV and UVgO depending on contract value.