German Procurement Committee for Supplies and Services 2026

Definition: The German Procurement Committee for Supplies and Services (Deutscher Verdingungsausschuss für Lieferungen und Dienstleistungen, DVLD) was the joint committee that drafted and maintained the Procurement Code for Services (Verdingungsordnung für Leistungen, VOL). Until the introduction of the Sub-Threshold Procurement Code (UVgO) in 2017, the VOL was the central basis for awarding supply and service contracts below the EU thresholds.

Last updated: January 2026 · Legal basis: UVgO 2017, VgV, GWB

---

What was the German Procurement Committee for Supplies and Services?

The DVLD was the counterpart to the German Procurement and Contract Committee for Construction Works (DVA) for the area of supply and service contracts. It drafted and maintained the Procurement Code for Services (VOL), which was divided into two parts:

• VOL/A: General provisions for the award of services (procedural rules)
• VOL/B: General terms and conditions for the performance of services (contractual conditions)

The DVLD was composed on a parity basis of representatives of public contracting authorities (federal, state, municipal) and industry (suppliers, service providers, associations) and operated as a private-law body without legislative powers.

VOL as a historical body of rules

For decades, the VOL was the leading body of rules for the award of supply and service contracts by public contracting authorities in Germany.

VOL/A contained provisions on:

• General principles of procurement (competition, transparency, equal treatment)
• Procurement procedures (open invitation to tender, restricted procedure, negotiated procedure)
• Value thresholds for the various procedure types
• Requirements for procurement documents and the specification of services
• Bid evaluation and award

VOL/B contained general terms and conditions for the performance of supply and service contracts, comparable to VOB/B in the construction sector.

Replacement by the UVgO and VgV

With the 2016/2017 procurement law modernisation, the VOL was replaced in the above-threshold area by the Procurement Ordinance (VgV) and in the below-threshold area by the Sub-Threshold Procurement Code (UVgO).

The reform was driven by the need to bring German law into line with the 2014/24/EU and 2014/25/EU procurement directives. The VgV took over the function of the former VOL/A-EG (Section 2) above the thresholds. The UVgO replaced VOL/A Section 1 below the thresholds.

VOL/B has not been given a direct successor as a general set of contractual rules. Supply contracts are now governed by the general BGB sales law, supplemented by EVB-IT for IT services and other sector-specific contractual conditions.

Relevance today

Although the DVLD and the VOL no longer play an active role today, knowledge of this historical development is important for understanding modern procurement law. Older contracts still in force may contain VOL/B clauses. Moreover, the UVgO is structurally aligned with the basic principles of VOL/A, so the transition is smooth for experienced procurement practitioners.

For supply and service contracts today:

• Above the thresholds: GWB §§ 97 et seq. + VgV
• Below the thresholds: UVgO (insofar as declared applicable by state law)
• IT services: EVB-IT

FAQ

Does VOL/B still apply to existing contracts? Yes, where VOL/B was validly agreed, it continues to apply to the relevant legacy contract. For new contracts from 2017 onwards, VOL/B is no longer recommended and is rarely used in practice.

What is the difference between the DVLD and the DVA? The DVLD was responsible for supply and service contracts (VOL); the DVA for construction works (VOB). Both were private-law bodies with parity composition.

Why was the VOL replaced? The VOL no longer fully met the requirements of the 2014 EU procurement directives. The 2016/2017 reform created a modern, EU-compliant set of rules with the VgV and UVgO.

---

Last updated: January 2026 All information provided without warranty. For legally binding advice please contact a law firm specialising in procurement law.