NACE 05.1 – Mining of Hard Coal | Public Tenders

Definition: NACE 05.1 covers the extraction, processing and briquetting of hard coal, including anthracite and coke. The group covers all activities for the extraction of hard coal in underground and opencast mining and the mechanical and physical processing of the raw material.

Legal basis: NACE Rev. 2 (Regulation (EC) No 1893/2006) · Last updated: January 2026

What does NACE 05.1 cover?

NACE 05.1 (Mining of hard coal) classifies businesses that extract, process and briquette hard coal — a sector that is relevant in public procurement primarily through energy supply and infrastructure projects.

Group 05.1 within Section B (Mining and quarrying) and Division 05 (Mining of coal and lignite) is broken down into the following classes:

Public contracting authorities relating to NACE 05.1 are primarily state energy-supply enterprises, municipal district-heating operators, publicly owned power-plant operators and authorities that procure coal for heating in public buildings.

Public Tenders: Scope of NACE 05.1

Hard coal mining and coal purchasing are specialist procurement areas in the public energy sector — tenders arise mainly from state power-plant and district-heating operators and from mining service contracts.

Typical types of contract

• Coal supply contracts: Procurement of hard coal and metallurgical coke for municipal power plants and district-heating plants
• Mining equipment and machinery: Procurement of mining machines, conveyor systems, mine ventilation technology
• Processing plants: Planning, construction and maintenance of coal preparation and sizing plants
• Safety technology: Equipment for firedamp measurement, mine ventilation, safety systems
• Environmental and restoration services: Mining-damage regulation, spoil-heap remediation, groundwater monitoring
• Expert reports and consultancy: Geological assessments, mining-damage evaluations for public infrastructure

Thresholds and procedure types

Coal procurement contracts of state energy utilities are often subject to utilities procurement law (SektVO / BVergGVS), since energy supply is a utility sector. The EU threshold for supply contracts in the utilities sector is EUR 431,000 (as of 2024/2025). Service contracts in the mining environment follow the general procurement principles.

Relevant CPV codes for NACE 05.1

The link between NACE classification and tender searches is provided by the CPV codes (Common Procurement Vocabulary), which must be included on TED.

Current tenders with these CPV codes are published on TED (Tenders Electronic Daily) and on national procurement platforms.

Who is NACE 05.1 relevant for in procurement law?

Public contracting authorities

State and municipal energy-supply enterprises are the most important contracting authorities in the hard coal sector. In Germany, these are primarily municipal utilities (Stadtwerke) with coal-fired power plants and district-heating operators. In Austria, Verbund and state energy utilities play a role. Mining authorities are also relevant for the award of expert reports, safety inspections and restoration measures.

In the course of the energy transition, tenders are increasingly shifting to dismantling, restoration and after-care services for hard coal sites.

Companies and bidders

Companies active in NACE 05.1 or providing services to hard coal operations typically have to provide the following eligibility evidence for EU-wide awards:

• Authorisation: Mining-law approvals, trade-law permits
• Technical capacity: References for comparable supply or service contracts
• Economic capacity: Annual turnover, credit evidence
• Certifications: ISO 9001, ISO 14001, where applicable SCC (safety certificate)

NACE 05.1 in context: Section B and Division 05

NACE 05.1 is part of Division 05 (Mining of coal and lignite) within Section B (Mining) — a sector that is relevant in public procurement primarily through energy and raw-material procurement.

• NACE B – Mining and quarrying: Parent section
• NACE 05.2 – Mining of lignite: Related group with opencast mining
• NACE 06.1 – Extraction of crude petroleum: Further energy-resource extraction
• NACE 06.2 – Extraction of natural gas: Gas extraction and utilities procurement

Frequently Asked Questions about NACE 05.1 and Public Tenders

Which companies fall under NACE 05.1? Mining companies that predominantly extract and process hard coal, and briquetting operations. NACE classification follows the economic focus of the activity.

Why are coal procurement contracts often subject to utilities procurement law? Because energy supply is a utility sector within the meaning of Directive 2014/25/EU. Contracting authorities that generate or distribute gas, electricity or heat are utility contracting entities and are subject to special procurement rules.

Are hard coal mining tenders still relevant given the energy transition? Yes — albeit in a changed form. Restoration measures, spoil-heap remediation, groundwater monitoring and mining-damage regulation for disused mining sites form a growing tender market.

How do I find current tenders relating to hard coal? Search TED with CPV codes 09111100, 09111200 and the keyword "coal" on national platforms such as DTVP, evergabe.de or the Austrian Federal Procurement Portal.

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