Intended / Planned Tender in Procurement Law 2026

Definition: An intended or planned tender is the early announcement by a contracting authority of an upcoming procurement, typically in the form of a Prior Information Notice (PIN), made before the procurement procedure itself is launched.

Last updated: January 2026 · Legal status: Art. 48 Directive 2014/24/EU, § 38 VgV, § 45 BVergG 2018

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What is an intended or planned tender?

Contracting authorities can – and in certain cases must – announce their procurement intentions early, before the actual procurement procedure is launched. This instrument promotes market transparency, gives potential tenderers sufficient lead time and, under certain conditions, can be used to shorten the standard minimum tender periods.

The most important legal instrument for announcing planned tenders is the Prior Information Notice (PIN), published in the Supplement to the Official Journal of the EU (TED).

Prior Information Notice (PIN)

The PIN under Art. 48 of Directive 2014/24/EU enables the contracting authority to consolidate planned procurement projects for the following budget year and publish them EU-wide. Through a timely PIN, the contracting authority can shorten the minimum tender period in the open procedure from 35 to 15 days (Art. 27(3) Directive 2014/24/EU), provided that the PIN was published at least 35 days before the contract notice.

In certain procedures (e.g. negotiated procedure without prior publication under specific conditions), the PIN can also serve as a substitute for the contract notice.

Practical significance

For contracting authorities, early planning and announcement of tenders is an instrument of strategic procurement management. It enables:

• Early market research and exploration
• Transparency for tenderers and the public
• Possibilities of time reduction in the later procedure
• Medium-term resource planning on the tenderer side

For tenderers, announced tenders offer the opportunity to prepare for upcoming procurement procedures in good time, plan resources and, where appropriate, form joint ventures with other undertakings.

Buyer profile

Many contracting authorities use a so-called buyer profile, on which ongoing and planned tenders are announced. Publication of the buyer profile in the Official Journal of the EU can likewise be used to shorten deadlines (Art. 48(2) Directive 2014/24/EU).

FAQ

Is the PIN legally binding? No. The PIN does not create an obligation to carry out the announced tender. The contracting authority may still abandon or modify the procurement project.

Must all planned tenders be announced in advance? No, with few exceptions the PIN is voluntary. However, it is a precondition for using shortened tender periods.

Where are PINs published? In the Supplement to the Official Journal of the EU (TED) and optionally on national publication platforms.

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