Procurement Platform 2026 – Electronic Platforms for Public Tenders

Procurement platform: electronic systems for public tenders. Well-known platforms in Germany and Austria, functions and obligations.

Definition: A procurement platform is an electronic system through which public contracting authorities run procurement procedures electronically – from the contract notice and provision of procurement documents to electronic tender submission and communication with bidders.

Last updated: January 2026 · Legal basis: § 97(5) GWB, §§ 10–13 VgV, Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/1780 (eForms)

What is a Procurement Platform?

A procurement platform (also: e-procurement platform or procurement portal) is the technical infrastructure through which public contracting authorities run their procurement procedures fully or partly electronically. The obligation to procure electronically was introduced in stages by the 2016 EU procurement reform and has been binding since October 2018 for the highest and senior federal authorities and since April 2019 for all other public contracting authorities in the above-threshold regime.

Functions of a Procurement Platform

Modern procurement platforms typically support the following functions:

Notices: Publication of tenders at national and EU level (forwarding to TED)
Procurement documents: Provision and download of the complete documents
Bidder communications: Electronic communication (bidder questions, requests for clarification)
Tender submission: Electronic submission of encrypted tenders
Tender management: Opening, examination and evaluation of tenders within the system
Notification of award: Electronic information of bidders
Procurement documentation: Digital procurement file and procurement record

Well-known Procurement Platforms in Germany

Germany has a wide range of procurement platforms at federal and federal-state level:

Platform	Operator/background
DTVP (Deutsches Vergabeportal)	Aumass GmbH, widely used by municipalities
eVergabe of the Federal Government	Procurement Office of the Federal Ministry of the Interior
Vergabe.NRW	State of North Rhine-Westphalia
subreport ELViS	subreport Verlag Schawe GmbH
Auftragsboerse.de	Private operator
Vergabemarktplatz Berlin	State of Berlin
TED (Tenders Electronic Daily)	EU Publications Office (for EU-wide notices)

Procurement Platforms in Austria

In Austria, the most important electronic procurement platforms are:

Ankündigungsblatt of the Wiener Zeitung / Lieferanzeiger: Official national notice gazette
Ausschreibung.at: Private provider
EVA (Elektronische Vergabe Austria): Platform of the Austrian Federal Economic Chamber
TED: For EU-wide notices

Mandatory Electronic Procurement

The obligation to communicate electronically in the procurement procedure is anchored in § 97(5) GWB and §§ 10–13 VgV. It covers:

Electronic provision of the procurement documents
Electronic receipt of tenders and requests to participate
Electronic communication between contracting authority and bidders

Exceptions are possible within narrow limits (e.g. for particularly sensitive information for which physical inspection is required).

FAQ

Do I need to register on a procurement platform as a bidder? That depends on the platform. Many platforms allow procurement documents to be downloaded without registration but require registration for electronic tender submission. Timely registration well before the tender deadline is strongly recommended.

What happens if the procurement platform is unavailable at the time of submission? Technical disruptions on the contracting authority's side can lead to an extension of deadlines. Bidders should document any disruptions and inform the contracting authority without delay. Bidders generally cannot rely on technical problems on their own side.

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