CPV 487 – Software Utility Packages

What does CPV 487 cover?

CPV 487 covers utility software packages that support the operation, security and administration of IT infrastructure. This group includes antivirus and endpoint protection software, backup and recovery solutions, data encryption tools, print management software, software licence management (SAM) tools, system monitoring and performance management utilities, patch management and software distribution platforms, IT help desk and service management tools, and other operational support utilities that run alongside primary business applications.

In the context of public procurement, utility software is critical for the security and operational resilience of public IT infrastructure. Requirements from the BSI IT-Grundschutz framework and the EU NIS2 Directive impose specific security controls that must be implemented through appropriate utility software. Endpoint protection, patch management and backup solutions are non-negotiable components of every public authority's IT security architecture. Framework agreements at state or federal level often cover utility software procurement for multiple authorities.

Public IT service centres, municipal IT departments, federal agencies and hospital IT departments are the primary procurers. The consolidation of utility software platforms – moving from multiple point solutions to integrated security operations platforms – is a current trend in public sector IT procurement. Further information on the CPV system is available from the European Commission (SIMAP) and in Regulation (EC) No 213/2008.

Typical Software Categories in CPV 487

• Endpoint protection: antivirus, anti-malware, EDR (endpoint detection and response)
• Backup and recovery: enterprise backup, disaster recovery, business continuity tools
• Encryption software: full disk encryption, file and email encryption, key management
• Print management: print server software, pull printing, cost allocation
• Software licence management: discovery, metering, compliance reporting (SAM)
• Patch management: automated patch deployment, vulnerability scanning and remediation
• IT service management: help desk, ITSM platforms, CMDB, change management

Examples of Tenders with CPV 487

• Endpoint security software for state administration: A state IT service centre tenders a unified endpoint security platform for 14,000 workstations and 800 servers, covering next-generation antivirus, EDR with centralised management console, automated threat response, BSI-compliant logging and a three-year subscription with annual update service.
• Backup and recovery solution for municipal data centre: A municipal data centre awards an enterprise backup solution for its virtual infrastructure (150 VMs), physical servers and NAS storage, covering daily full backup, hourly incremental, off-site replication to a DR site, annual restore testing service and a four-year support agreement.
• Software licence management for federal agency: A federal agency tenders a SAM platform for managing software licences across 4,500 workstations, covering automated discovery of installed software, licence entitlement comparison, vendor audit readiness reporting, integration with the procurement system and a three-year SaaS subscription.

Current tenders with CPV 487 are published on TED (Tenders Electronic Daily) and on national procurement platforms such as the German Procurement Portal (DTVP).

Who is CPV 487 relevant for?

Public Contracting Authorities

State and federal IT service centres, municipal IT departments and hospital IT organisations are the main procurers under CPV 487. They commission utility software in the context of annual licence renewals, IT security improvement programmes mandated by NIS2 and BSI Grundschutz, and infrastructure modernisation projects.

Companies and Bidders

Security software vendors, backup solution providers, IT service management platform companies and SAM specialists are the central bidders. In addition to BSI compatibility evidence (BSI-approved products, IT-Grundschutz alignment), references from comparable public sector deployments, GDPR-compliant data handling and competitive licence pricing for volume agreements are the key evaluation factors.

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 487?

Tender Match – Automatically Find Tenders (CPV 487)

With tender.match, security software vendors and IT operations tool providers automatically receive all relevant tenders with CPV 487 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 utility software tenders are filtered and delivered by technology category, sector, 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 487)

For companies looking for suppliers, subcontractors, or consortium partners for IT security and operations software projects, company.match provides direct access to qualified firms from an EU-wide database of over 28 million companies. Especially for comprehensive security platform projects requiring combined endpoint, SIEM and identity management capabilities, company.match automatically identifies suitable partners – increasing the chances of winning the contract.

Frequently Asked Questions about CPV 487

What does the CPV code 48700000 mean?

The CPV code 48700000 represents the group of software utility packages in the European procurement classification system. It covers antivirus, backup, encryption, print management, licence management, patch management and ITSM tools procured by public contracting authorities for the operation and security of their IT infrastructure.

How do I find tenders with CPV 487?

Tenders with CPV 487 are published on TED (Tenders Electronic Daily) for EU-wide procedures and on the German Procurement Portal (DTVP). Bond automatically aggregates all relevant utility software tenders from over 1,000 portals and filters by software category, security standard and company profile.

What are the requirements for participating in tenders with CPV 487?

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 BSI compatibility evidence, GDPR compliance documentation and references from comparable public sector security deployments.