Most Economically Advantageous Tender in Procurement Law 2026

Most economically advantageous tender: The award criterion that combines price and quality – basis for bid evaluation under EU procurement law.

Definition: The most economically advantageous tender is the offer that, on an overall assessment of all pre-defined award criteria – in particular price, quality, performance characteristics and life-cycle costs – represents the best price-performance ratio.

Last updated: January 2026 · Legal status: Art. 67 Directive 2014/24/EU; § 127 GWB; § 91 BVergG 2018

What is the most economically advantageous tender?

The concept of the "most economically advantageous tender" (MEAT) has been, since the 2014/2016 procurement law reform, the only permissible award principle under EU procurement law. Art. 67 of Directive 2014/24/EU prescribes that public contracting authorities must award the contract to the most economically advantageous tender, determined on the basis of the best price-performance ratio.

The most economically advantageous tender need not be the cheapest. The concept encompasses a multidimensional assessment which, in addition to price, may also take into account qualitative, technical, social and environmental aspects.

Award criteria

The contracting authority determines the award criteria and their weighting in advance in the procurement documents. Possible criteria under Art. 67 (2) of Directive 2014/24/EU include, among others:

Price or cost (including life-cycle costs)
Quality, e.g. technical merit, aesthetics, functionality, accessibility
Environmental characteristics (sustainability, CO₂ footprint)
Social aspects (e.g. employment of disadvantaged persons)
Organisation, qualification and experience of the personnel deployed
After-sales service and technical assistance
Delivery conditions

The weighting of the criteria must be transparent, objectively justified and non-discriminatory.

Distinction: lowest-price principle vs. best-bidder principle

The most economically advantageous tender stands, as a concept, between the pure lowest-price principle (award solely on the basis of the lowest price) and the qualitative best-bidder principle.

Concept	Content
Lowest-price principle	Award solely on the basis of the lowest price
Most economically advantageous tender	Award on the basis of the best price-performance ratio
Best-bidder principle (Austria)	Qualitative criteria may prevail

In Austria, the best-bidder principle (§ 91 (1) BVergG 2018) is the default, while the lowest-price principle is permissible only for simple, standardised performances.

Evaluation methods

Various evaluation methods are available for determining the most economically advantageous tender:

Point-scoring model: Points are awarded to each offer for each criterion and multiplied by the respective weighting.
Price-quality ratio: A defined price-quality ratio (e.g. 40 % price, 60 % quality) is applied.
Cost-effectiveness analysis: For complex procurements, life-cycle costs (TCO – Total Cost of Ownership) can be included.

Transparency obligations

The award criteria and their weighting must be published in advance in the contract notice or the procurement documents. A subsequent modification or addition of criteria is impermissible and renders the award decision challengeable.

Related terms

FAQ

Can price be the only award criterion? Yes, but only if the contracting authority has stipulated this in advance and the performance is sufficiently standardised. In Austria, the lowest-price principle is restricted to simple performances.

What happens if two offers are equally good after the evaluation? In this case, pre-defined tie-breaker criteria decide or – if none are provided – the draw of lots.

Must all award criteria always be weighted? In principle, yes. A mere ranking of the criteria without percentage weighting is permissible only in exceptional cases and must be justified.

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