VOL – German Procurement and Contract Procedures for Supplies and Services 2026

VOL (Vergabe- und Vertragsordnung für Leistungen): The body of rules for supply and service contracts in Germany. Overview of VOL/A and VOL/B.

Definition: The VOL (Vergabe- und Vertragsordnung für Leistungen, German Procurement and Contract Procedures for Supplies and Services) was the authoritative German body of rules for the award of supply and service contracts by public contracting authorities, divided into VOL/A (general procurement provisions) and VOL/B (general contractual terms for the performance of services); in the above-threshold area it was replaced by the VgV (2016) and in the sub-threshold area largely by the UVgO (2017).

Last updated: January 2026 · Legal status: UVgO 2017, VgV 2016, GWB §§ 97 et seq.

What is the VOL?

The VOL (German Procurement and Contract Procedures for Supplies and Services) was the central body of rules for public supply and service procurement in Germany. It governed both the award procedure (VOL/A) and the contractual terms for the performance of services (VOL/B). For decades, the VOL was the principal instrument for public procurement outside construction works.

In the course of the European procurement law reform of 2014/2016, VOL/A was gradually superseded by newer instruments, while VOL/B remains in widespread use as a contractual framework.

VOL/A – Procurement provisions

VOL/A contained the rules for conducting award procedures for supply and service contracts and was divided into two sections.

Section 1 (base text): Applied to procurement below the EU thresholds (national sub-threshold area). This section was replaced in 2017 by the Sub-Threshold Procurement Ordinance (UVgO).
Section 2 (EC base text): Applied to EU-wide procurement and was replaced in 2016 by the Procurement Ordinance (VgV).

VOL/A contained rules on: types of procurement (open procedure, restricted procedure, negotiated procedure without competition, request), deadlines, suitability checks, bid evaluation and contract award.

VOL/B – General terms and conditions

VOL/B contains the general terms and conditions for the performance of services and governs the relationship between the public contracting authority and the contractor after the contract has been concluded. Unlike VOL/A, VOL/B is still in use and is incorporated by many contracting authorities as standard terms into supply and service contracts.

VOL/B contains provisions on:

Performance obligations and scope
Cooperation obligations of the contracting authority
Deadlines and dates
Acceptance
Remuneration and payment terms
Warranty and defect claims
Liability and termination

Replacement by VgV and UVgO

The 2016 procurement law reform led to the replacement of VOL/A by the Procurement Ordinance (VgV) in the above-threshold area. The VgV transposes EU Directive 2014/24/EU and contains comprehensive rules for the award of supply and service contracts. In the sub-threshold area, the UVgO came into force, which is more modern and flexible than the earlier VOL/A Section 1.

Practical relevance today

Although VOL/A has largely been superseded, VOL/B retains relevance as a contractual framework. Many existing contracts concluded under the VOL, and current procurement documentation, still refer to the VOL. Procurement-law decisions from the VOL era remain important for understanding the principles in force.

Related terms

FAQ

Does VOL/A still apply to current procurement procedures? No. For current procedures, the VgV applies in the above-threshold area and the UVgO in the sub-threshold area (where adopted by the Länder). VOL/A is de facto obsolete.

Does VOL/B still apply as a contractual framework? Yes. VOL/B continues to be incorporated by many public contracting authorities into their supply and service contracts.

What is the difference between the VOL and the UVgO? The UVgO is the more modern successor to VOL/A Section 1 for the sub-threshold area. It is more flexible, gives greater weight to the digitalisation of procurement, and is oriented towards the EU procurement principles.

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