CPV 385 – Test and Testing Equipment

What does CPV 385 cover?

CPV group 385 covers test and testing equipment for quality assurance and product certification. This includes electrical test equipment (high-voltage test transformers, mains impedance analysers, EMC test systems), environmental simulation equipment (climate testing chambers, temperature cycling chambers, vibration and shock test rigs), leak testing systems (helium leak detection, pressure drop methods), acoustic test systems, and chemical analysers for quality testing and environmental monitoring.

Contracting authorities include accredited testing institutes (national equivalents of TÜV, DEKRA, BAM), research institutions, universities with testing laboratories, federal agencies with type-approval functions (vehicle licensing authorities, civil aviation authorities), defence research establishments, and municipal environmental laboratories. The full CPV structure is available at the European Commission (SIMAP) and Regulation (EC) No 213/2008.

Test equipment is frequently designed for compliance with specific standards and testing specifications (IEC, EN, MIL-Spec). Tenders specify standard compliance, measurement uncertainty budgets, environmental conditions and software compatibility in detail. Complex test systems often require adaptation and integration services as well as extensive acceptance testing (FAT/SAT). Negotiated procedures or competitive dialogue may apply when technical requirements cannot be fully specified in advance.

Typical Services in CPV 385

• Climate testing chambers and temperature cycling chambers
• Vibration and shock test rigs
• EMC test systems (anechoic chambers, measurement antennas)
• High-voltage test transformers and systems
• Leak testing systems (helium leak detection, pressure drop)
• Chemical analysers for laboratory quality testing
• Fire resistance test rigs for building materials and components

Examples of Tenders with CPV 385

• Climate testing chamber for a research institute: Procurement of a combined temperature-humidity test chamber (-70 to +180°C, 10–98% RH) with observation window, specimen holders and digital controller for building materials research at a national institute – published on TED (Tenders Electronic Daily).
• EMC test system for a university: Construction of a compact EMC anechoic chamber (3 m chamber) with full instrumentation to CISPR standards, rotating antenna, measurement receiver and analysis software for teaching and research – published.
• Vibration test rig for a defence research establishment: Delivery of an electrodynamic vibration system (50 kN) with amplifier, slip table, controller and MIL-Spec-capable software for environmental simulation of military equipment – published on TED.

Current tenders with CPV 385 are published on TED (Tenders Electronic Daily) and on national procurement platforms.

Who is CPV 385 relevant for?

Public Contracting Authorities

Testing institutes, research establishments, federal agencies with type-approval responsibilities and municipal laboratories invest regularly in test equipment. Standard compliance, measurement uncertainty budgets and acceptance testing to international norms are central requirements. For defence-relevant test equipment, the security procurement regulation (VSVgV) may apply. Further guidance is available from the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK).

Companies and Bidders

Manufacturers and systems integrators for test equipment are the relevant bidders. Technical competence for specific test standards, turnkey system delivery capability, and after-sales expertise are the decisive competitive factors. Reference lists from comparable testing institutes carry significant weight.

How does Bond help with CPV 385?

Tender Match – Automatically Find Tenders (CPV 385)

With tender.match, test equipment manufacturers and systems integrators automatically receive all relevant tenders with CPV 385 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 test equipment 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 385)

For companies looking for suppliers, subcontractors, or consortium partners for test equipment projects, company.match provides direct access to qualified firms from an EU-wide database of over 28 million companies. Especially for larger test system 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 385

What does the CPV code 38500000 mean?

The CPV code 38500000 classifies test and testing equipment within the EU's Common Procurement Vocabulary. It covers electrical test equipment, environmental simulation chambers, EMC test systems, vibration rigs and leak testing systems procured by accredited testing institutes, research establishments and federal type-approval agencies.

How do I find tenders with CPV 385?

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 385?

Accreditation to ISO/IEC 17025 for calibration services, references at comparable testing institutes, and compliance with applicable test standards (IEC, EN, MIL-Spec) are typically required. For defence applications the VSVgV applies. For standard public supply contracts the applicable frameworks are VgV and UVgO depending on contract value.