Single-Stage Procurement Procedure in Public Procurement
In the single-stage procurement procedure, all interested parties submit their bid simultaneously; suitability check and bid evaluation take place in one step.
Definition: The single-stage procurement procedure is a procedural form – in particular the open procedure – in which all interested parties submit a bid at the same time without prior suitability selection, and the contracting authority carries out the suitability check and bid evaluation in a single procedural step.
Last updated: January 2026 · Legal basis: Art. 27 Directive 2014/24/EU, § 45 BVergG 2018, § 15 VgV
What is the single-stage procurement procedure?
The single-stage procurement procedure – in its purest form, the open procedure – is the preferred and, in principle, primary procedure type under procurement law: all interested companies can submit a complete bid without a prior selection round. The suitability check and bid evaluation take place in a single combined procedural step, which makes the procedure simpler and more transparent for all involved.
The key difference from the two-stage procurement procedure is that there is no preceding call for participation. Any interested company can submit a complete bid (including all suitability evidence) up to the bid submission deadline.
Significance in the procurement procedure
The single-stage procedure maximises competition and the number of potential providers, as no prior selection restricts the pool of bidders. It is particularly suitable for clearly defined, standardisable services where the contracting authority has precise knowledge of the market situation and can draw up detailed specifications of works.
In practice, the single-stage procedure entails greater examination effort for the contracting authority in the bid phase, as it may have to examine many bids – including suitability evidence. For bidders, the single-stage procedure is often more attractive, as there is no effort for a request to participate and competition is more open.
The national public tender and the EU-wide open procedure are the classic single-stage procedure types. They are the default procedures from which deviations are only permitted in cases statutorily defined as exceptions.
Distinction from the two-stage procedure
In the two-stage procurement procedure, a first phase (call for participation) limits the pool of bidders to suitable companies before they are invited to submit a bid in a second phase. The single-stage procedure does not have this preliminary selection.
Related terms
Last updated: January 2026 All information provided without guarantee. For legally binding advice, please consult a law firm specialising in public procurement law.
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