Joint Committee for Electronics in Construction (GAEB) 2026 – Procurement Law

GAEB: The Joint Committee for Electronics in Construction standardises electronic data exchange in the construction industry, particularly for bills of quantities and e-procurement.

Definition: The Joint Committee for Electronics in Construction (Gemeinsamer Ausschuss Elektronik im Bauwesen – GAEB) is a committee of the German Procurement and Contract Committee for Construction Services (DVA) that develops and maintains standardised data formats and interfaces for electronic data exchange in construction – in particular for bills of quantities, tenders and billing.

Last updated: January 2026 · Legal basis: VOB/A 2019, VgV, e-procurement requirements

What is the GAEB?

The Joint Committee for Electronics in Construction (GAEB) is the leading standardisation body for electronic data exchange in the German and Austrian construction industry. The GAEB is a committee of the DVA (German Procurement and Contract Committee for Construction Services) and works closely with the German and Austrian construction industry, public contracting authorities and software vendors.

The data formats developed by the GAEB – in particular the GAEB formats (currently GAEB DA XML) – are the de facto standard for the electronic transmission of bills of quantities, tender documents, bids and billing in construction. They enable the smooth, error-free exchange of data between different software systems used by contracting authorities, designers and bidders.

GAEB data formats and their significance for e-procurement

The GAEB data formats are the backbone of electronic construction procurement and enable seamless, paperless transmission of all procurement-relevant information.

GAEB DA XML

The current standard format is GAEB DA XML (Data Exchange XML). Based on XML (Extensible Markup Language), it has been the preferred standard since GAEB version 3.2 for:

Bills of quantities (BoQs) and tender documents
Bid submission by bidders (completed BoQs with unit prices)
Award and contract documents
Measurement and billing

Older formats

Older GAEB formats (e.g. D83, D84, D86) are technically outdated but are still used in legacy systems and by some older software.

ÖNORM A 2063 (Austria)

In Austria, ÖNORM A 2063 provides a related standard for data exchange in construction, likewise based on XML and structurally compatible with GAEB DA XML.

Significance for procurement law

The GAEB formats are of considerable practical importance for compliance with the e-procurement requirements of the VgV and VOB/A. The VgV requires the fully electronic conduct of communication and bid preparation above the EU thresholds (§§ 11 et seq. VgV). The GAEB formats enable:

Electronic provision of procurement documents (BoQ in GAEB format)
Electronic bid submission via GAEB-capable software
Automated import of bidder prices into the contracting authority's evaluation software
Seamless, paperless onward processing through to billing

Procurement bodies using GAEB-compliant bills of quantities significantly reduce transmission errors and make bid submission easier for bidders.

Practical relevance for bidders

For bidders in public construction procurement, familiarity with and use of GAEB-capable software is virtually indispensable. Most procurement bodies and e-procurement platforms require bid preparation in GAEB format. Bidders without GAEB-capable construction calculation and bid processing software risk media breaks, transmission errors and competitive disadvantages.

FAQ

Is the GAEB format legally mandatory? The GAEB format is not legally mandatory but has established itself as the de facto standard. Many public contracting authorities and e-procurement platforms accept only GAEB-compliant files.

Which software supports the GAEB format? All common construction calculation and AVA programmes (tendering, awarding, billing) such as RIB iTWO, AUER Success, Arriba, California.pro, ORCA AVA and others support GAEB DA XML.

Does GAEB also apply to architectural and engineering services? No. GAEB is primarily geared to construction services. There are no comparable standard formats for planning services; in practice, proprietary file formats or PDF documents are often used.

How does GAEB differ from BIM? BIM (Building Information Modeling) is a more comprehensive digital design and management system that goes far beyond the data exchange of bills of quantities. GAEB and BIM can, however, be integrated to enable end-to-end digital processes in construction.

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