CPV 921 – Film and Video Production Services

What does CPV 921 cover?

CPV group 921 covers services in the field of film and video production. These include the concept development, production, and post-production of documentary films, promotional films, educational films and explainer videos, animation productions, live streaming and event recordings, as well as cinema services and film distribution services. Public contracting authorities procure film productions for communication and information purposes, educational material, and cultural purposes.

Federal authorities, ministries, and public institutions regularly procure film productions: the Federal Ministry of Health, the Federal Press and Information Office, or the Federal Agency for Civic Education commission promotional films, information videos, and social media content. Municipalities procure city presentation films, tourism videos, and branding productions. Public educational institutions commission educational and explainer videos. Cultural institutions award documentary film productions and exhibition films.

Demand for digital and social-media-suitable video formats has grown strongly: explainer videos, short-form content, YouTube content, and webinars are increasingly tendered. At the same time, accessible video formats (subtitles, sign language videos, audio description) are gaining importance in public tenders. Further information on the CPV system is available from the European Commission (SIMAP) and Regulation (EC) No 213/2008.

Typical Services in CPV 921

Examples of Tenders with CPV 921

• Promotional film for a federal authority: The Federal Press and Information Office tenders the production of a five-minute promotional film for a federal authority — with concept, storyboard, two filming days, professional camera and lighting, post-production, voiceover, subtitling, and delivery in four formats.
• E-learning videos for a federal agency: A federal supervisory authority procures the production of 20 explainer videos (3–5 minutes each) on procurement and financial law — with script writing, animations, voiceover texts, accessible subtitling, and delivery in a SCORM package.
• Documentary film on city history: A municipality commissions the production of a 45-minute documentary on city history — with historical research, contemporary witness interviews, archive material, post-production, a cinema screening version, and an online version.

Current tenders with CPV 921 are published on TED (Tenders Electronic Daily) and on national procurement platforms.

Who is CPV 921 relevant for?

Public Contracting Authorities

Federal authorities, ministries, the Federal Press and Information Office, municipalities, cultural institutions, and public educational institutions are the central contracting authorities for film productions. Public service broadcasters have their own production units but also commission external production companies. EU institutions also award film productions for information and communication purposes.

Companies and Bidders

Film production companies, video production agencies, agencies with video competence, and freelance filmmakers are the typical bidders. Show reels and references from comparable productions, technical equipment evidence, and for accessible formats relevant experience evidence are required. Further information on eligibility requirements and procurement procedures is available from the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK).

How does Bond help with CPV 921?

Tender Match – Automatically Find Tenders (CPV 921)

With tender.match, film production companies and video agencies automatically receive all relevant tenders with CPV 921 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 film production 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 (CPV 921)

For companies looking for suppliers, subcontractors, or consortium partners for film production projects, company.match provides direct access to qualified firms from an EU-wide database of over 28 million companies. Especially for larger film production 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 921

Can film productions be awarded as freelance/professional services?

Film productions can under certain circumstances be awarded as creative services under a negotiated procedure, in particular where artistic criteria predominate. Below the thresholds, the UVgO offers more flexibility. Above EU thresholds, a competitive procedure under the VgV is required, in which artistic quality criteria can be anchored in the evaluation matrix.

What requirements apply to accessible videos in public tenders?

Since the entry into force of the Accessibility Strengthening Act (BFSG) and the EU Web Accessibility Directive, public bodies are obliged to make digital content including videos accessible. In practical terms this means: subtitles, audio description for visually impaired users, sign language versions for particularly important content, and WCAG 2.1 AA-compliant embedding.

How do I find tenders with CPV 921?

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