CPV 388 – Industrial Process Control Equipment

What does CPV 388 cover?

CPV group 388 covers industrial process control equipment and remote control systems. This includes programmable logic controllers (PLCs), SCADA systems (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition), distributed control systems (DCS), control and instrumentation systems for energy generation and distribution, remote terminal units for water supply and wastewater treatment, building management systems (BMS), and process control technology for industrial applications.

The main contracting authorities are municipal and state utility companies (water, wastewater, energy), sewage treatment and waterworks operators, district heating operators, publicly owned power station operators, transport operators (signal systems, traffic management), and building automation for public buildings. The full CPV structure is available at the European Commission (SIMAP) and Regulation (EC) No 213/2008.

Cybersecurity is of central importance in this segment, as SCADA systems control critical infrastructure. The NIS2 Directive and national critical infrastructure legislation impose heightened requirements on operators of essential services. System integrity, redundancy, availability and secure remote maintenance are key requirements in tenders. Long-term operational support (typically 15–20 years) and interoperability with existing control systems are further central requirements.

Typical Services in CPV 388

• PLC systems for process control
• SCADA systems and control room software
• Remote terminal units for utility infrastructure
• Building management systems (BMS/BAS)
• HVAC control systems (heating, ventilation, air conditioning)
• Traffic management control systems
• Network control technology for energy distribution

Examples of Tenders with CPV 388

• SCADA system renewal for a municipal waterworks: Delivery and commissioning of a new SCADA system for process control at a waterworks (pumping, filtration, chlorination), including control room, operator interface, data historian and cybersecurity concept to NIS2 requirements – published on TED (Tenders Electronic Daily).
• Building management system for a new government building: Delivery and installation of a BMS to control heating, ventilation, air conditioning and lighting in a new-build with 5,000 m² of usable floor space, including BACnet networking and energy monitoring – published.
• Remote control system for a wastewater authority's treatment works: Modernisation of remote terminal technology across 12 decentralised pumping stations and treatment works with centralised control room, encrypted communications and mobile access for on-call staff – published on TED.

Current tenders with CPV 388 are published on TED (Tenders Electronic Daily) and on national procurement platforms.

Who is CPV 388 relevant for?

Public Contracting Authorities

Utility companies, sewage treatment works, municipal energy suppliers and public building operators are the main contracting authorities. Cybersecurity requirements under NIS2 and critical infrastructure regulations govern the technical specifications. Long-term operational support and migration paths for legacy systems are central concerns. Further guidance is available from the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK).

Companies and Bidders

Automation technology companies, SCADA system providers and systems integrators for control technology are the relevant bidders. OT cybersecurity competence, sector experience (water, energy, transport) and local service capacity are important eligibility criteria.

How does Bond help with CPV 388?

Tender Match – Automatically Find Tenders (CPV 388)

With tender.match, automation technology and SCADA companies automatically receive all relevant tenders with CPV 388 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 process control 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 388)

For companies looking for suppliers, subcontractors, or consortium partners for process control and SCADA projects, company.match provides direct access to qualified firms from an EU-wide database of over 28 million companies. Especially for larger control technology 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 388

What does the CPV code 38800000 mean?

The CPV code 38800000 classifies industrial process control equipment within the EU's Common Procurement Vocabulary. It covers PLCs, SCADA systems, distributed control systems, remote terminal units and building management systems procured by utility operators, waterworks, energy suppliers and public building owners.

How do I find tenders with CPV 388?

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 388?

OT cybersecurity competence aligned with IEC 62443, NIS2 compliance documentation, sector-specific references (water, energy, transport), and local service capacity for long-term maintenance are typically required. For utility sector contracting authorities the Utilities Directive applies. The applicable frameworks are VgV and UVgO depending on contract value.