CPV 455 – Hire of Construction Machinery and Equipment

What does CPV 455 cover?

CPV 455 covers the hire of construction machinery and equipment with operator for use in construction, civil engineering and related works. This division encompasses crane hire (mobile cranes, tower cranes, crawler cranes), earthmoving equipment hire (excavators, bulldozers, scrapers, compactors), lifting and access platform hire (telescopic handlers, aerial work platforms, scissor lifts), specialist civil engineering equipment (piling rigs, trench-cutting machines, ground consolidation equipment), as well as transport and logistics equipment for construction sites.

The key distinguishing feature of this CPV division is that the hire is provided with operator – meaning a qualified machine operator is included in the contract. This distinguishes it from the simple supply of machines (which would fall under supply contracts) and makes these contracts service contracts subject to procurement law. The operator's professional qualifications and the safety certification of the machinery are central elements of the performance specification.

Public contracting authorities commission hire with operator services in the context of construction and civil engineering projects where they do not possess sufficient own plant, where specialist equipment is required for specific operations, or where peak demand during construction phases must be covered. Further information on the CPV system is available from the European Commission (SIMAP) and in Regulation (EC) No 213/2008.

Key CPV Groups in Division 455

Examples of Tenders with CPV 455

• Tower crane hire for hospital new build: A hospital company tenders the provision of two tower cranes with operators for a 36-month construction period, encompassing crane erection and dismantling, all necessary planning permissions, operator staffing for two shifts per day and maintenance during the contract period.
• Excavator hire for utility infrastructure works: A municipal waterworks company awards a framework contract for excavator hire with operator for pipeline repair and emergency works, covering machines in three size classes (8t, 18t, 30t) with callout within four hours, available on an annual contract over three years.
• Telescopic handler hire for school construction: A school building authority tenders the provision of a telescopic handler with operator for materials handling and crane assistance during the fit-out phase of a new school building, covering a 10-month period with daily availability.

Current tenders with CPV 455 are published on TED (Tenders Electronic Daily) and on national procurement platforms.

Who is CPV 455 relevant for?

Public Contracting Authorities

State building authorities, municipal civil engineering offices, waterworks companies and all public organisations carrying out construction and civil engineering projects are the contracting authorities for construction machinery hire. They commission hire with operator services to supplement their own resources, cover peak demand, or access specialist equipment for specific operations.

Companies and Bidders

Construction machinery hire companies and specialist plant contractors are the central bidders. In addition to evidence of equipment ownership and maintenance (current inspection certificates for all machines), operator qualification evidence (relevant crane operator licences, IPAF and PASMA cards, G25 health certificates), insurance documentation and references for comparable hire contracts are required.

Information on eligibility requirements and procurement procedures is provided by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK).

How does Bond help with CPV 455?

Tender Match – Automatically Find Tenders (CPV 455)

With tender.match, construction machinery hire companies automatically receive all relevant tenders with CPV 455 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 machinery hire tenders 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 455)

For companies looking for suppliers, subcontractors, or consortium partners for construction machinery hire projects, company.match provides direct access to qualified firms from an EU-wide database of over 28 million companies. Especially for larger construction projects requiring diverse plant fleets, company.match automatically identifies suitable partners for bidding consortia and partial services – increasing the chances of winning the contract.

Frequently Asked Questions about CPV 455

What does the CPV code 45500000 mean?

The CPV code 45500000 represents the entire division of construction machinery hire with operator in the European procurement classification system. It covers the temporary provision of all types of construction plant – from cranes and excavators to access platforms and specialist civil engineering equipment – together with qualified operators.

How do I find tenders with CPV 455?

Tenders with CPV 455 are published on TED (Tenders Electronic Daily) for EU-wide procedures. Bond automatically aggregates all relevant construction machinery hire tenders from over 1,000 portals and filters by equipment category, region and company profile.

What are the requirements for participating in tenders with CPV 455?

Bidders must comply with the procurement procedures set out in the VgV for EU-threshold contracts and the UVgO for sub-threshold contracts, and must provide current equipment inspection certificates, operator qualification evidence and all required insurance documentation.