CPV 73 – Research and Development

What does CPV Division 73 cover?

CPV division 73 covers research and development services procured under public contracts. This includes basic research with no specifically defined application objective, applied research to address specific scientific or technical questions, and experimental development translating research findings into new or improved products, processes and services. Technical studies, scientific reports, evaluations and feasibility studies are also covered.

The award of research and development services in the public sector is subject to specific rules: contracts where the research results benefit the contracting authority exclusively and are fully remunerated by the contracting authority fall under full procurement law. Contracts where the results also benefit the contractor, or where a substantial part of the remuneration comes from third parties, may be exempt from the obligation to tender competitively. This distinction makes CPV 73 one of the most legally demanding procurement categories.

Contracting authorities in this area include government ministries with research responsibilities, funding bodies, publicly funded research institutions and universities. Research subjects span all policy areas – from environment and energy through health and mobility to security and digitalisation.

Further information on the CPV system is available from the European Commission (SIMAP) and from Regulation (EC) No 213/2008 on the revision of the CPV.

Key CPV Groups in Division 73

Examples of Tenders with CPV 73

• Evaluation Study on the Effectiveness of a Funding Programme: A government ministry procures a scientific evaluation study on the effectiveness of an innovation support programme, including quantitative analysis, case studies and recommendations for the next funding period.
• Research Contract for Climate-Neutral Building Materials: A public research funding body awards a development contract to a consortium of university and industry for research and testing of carbon-neutral cement alternatives.
• Technical Feasibility Study for Autonomous Public Transport: A municipal utility procures a feasibility study for the deployment of autonomous minibuses in the urban area, including technology analysis, regulatory framework assessment and a pilot operation concept.

Current tenders with CPV 73 are published on TED (Tenders Electronic Daily) and on national procurement platforms.

Who is CPV Division 73 relevant for?

Public Contracting Authorities

Government ministries, research funding bodies, universities and public research institutes are the principal contracting authorities. They commission external research institutions with studies, evaluations and development projects when internal capacity or specific subject expertise is insufficient. The scale of requirements ranges from small expert report contracts to multi-year, multidisciplinary research programmes.

Companies and Bidders

Universities, research companies and engineering firms with an R&D focus are the typical bidders. Proof of scientific expertise, relevant publications and reference projects, qualification evidence for the proposed research staff, and quality assurance and knowledge transfer concepts are required. Consortium bids from universities and industry are common in applied research. Further information on eligibility requirements is available from the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK).

How does Bond help with CPV 73?

Tender Match – Automatically Find Tenders (CPV 73)

With tender.match, research companies and institutes automatically receive all relevant tenders with CPV 73 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 research 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 73)

For companies looking for suppliers, subcontractors, or consortium partners for research projects, company.match provides direct access to qualified firms from an EU-wide database of over 28 million companies. Especially for larger R&D contracts that a single organisation cannot handle alone, company.match automatically identifies suitable partners for research consortia and partial services – increasing the chances of winning the contract.

Frequently Asked Questions about CPV 73

What does the CPV code 73000000 mean?

The CPV code 73000000 designates the entire division of research and development in the European classification system for public procurement. It covers all R&D services – from basic research and applied research through to technical studies and evaluations. Sub-codes specify the type of research and the contract subject.

How do I find tenders with CPV 73?

Tenders with CPV 73 are published on TED (Tenders Electronic Daily) for EU-wide procedures for national tenders. Bond automatically aggregates all relevant tenders from over 1,000 portals and delivers them filtered by company profile.

What are the requirements for participating in tenders with CPV 73?

Bidders are generally required to provide scientific qualifications, relevant publications, reference projects and qualification evidence for the proposed research personnel. For interdisciplinary projects, consortium bids are frequently welcomed or required. Details are governed by the VgV and, for below-threshold awards, the UVgO.