NACE 14.1 – Manufacture of Wearing Apparel | Public Tenders

Definition: NACE 14.1 covers the manufacture of apparel made of woven, knitted or crocheted fabrics and of leather, including workwear, occupational and protective clothing. This group is one of the most significant areas in public procurement, as state security authorities and emergency services depend on uniform service apparel.

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

What does NACE 14.1 cover?

NACE 14.1 (Manufacture of wearing apparel) classifies businesses that manufacture garments from textile and non-textile materials — with public procurement of uniforms, protective clothing and operational apparel as the central market.

Group 14.1 within Section C (Manufacturing) and Division 14 (Manufacture of wearing apparel) is structured into the following classes:

By far the most important class in the public procurement context is 14.12 – workwear, which covers all uniforms for the police, armed forces, fire services, customs and other authorities.

Public tenders: scope of NACE 14.1

Uniforms and workwear for security authorities are among the most voluminous and most frequently tendered textile procurements of the public sector — the Bundeswehr alone employs thousands of soldiers who must be re-equipped regularly.

Typical contract types

• Bundeswehr uniforms and operational clothing: Flecktarn uniforms, NBC protective suits, cold-protection clothing, pilot coveralls — procured by BAAINBw under multi-year framework agreements
• State police uniforms: Operational clothing, service uniforms, rainwear for state police — tendered by police headquarters or central state procurement offices
• Firefighter protective clothing: Operational jackets and trousers to EN 469, helmet combinations, boots — municipal fire services and professional fire services
• Emergency-service clothing: Operational clothing for emergency services in municipal ownership or under the aid organisations (DRK, DLRG)
• Customs and Federal Police clothing: Service apparel of German Customs and the Federal Police — central procurement at federal level
• Workwear in healthcare and nursing: Tunics, trousers, gowns for hospitals and care facilities in public ownership
• Institutional clothing: Clothing for inmates in correctional facilities

Thresholds and procedure types

Apparel tenders by the Bundeswehr and Federal Police regularly exceed the EU threshold for supply contracts (EUR 221,000) and are published EU-wide on TED, most often under the open procedure. State police procurement is often bundled through central procurement offices (e.g. the Procurement Office of the Federal Ministry of the Interior).

Relevant CPV codes for NACE 14.1

Apparel tenders use a wide set of CPV codes covering both general workwear and specialised protective clothing.

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

For whom is NACE 14.1 relevant under procurement law?

Public contracting authorities

The Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology and In-Service Support (BAAINBw) is Germany's largest apparel-procurement authority, followed by the Procurement Office of the Federal Ministry of the Interior (BMI) for Federal Police and customs. At state level, police headquarters and interior ministries procure uniform apparel partly independently and partly through joint central purchasers. Municipal fire services and professional fire services tender protective clothing, as do hospitals and care facilities for workwear for staff. In Austria, the Army Logistics Centre is responsible for Bundesheer apparel.

Companies and bidders

Apparel manufacturers seeking public contracts must typically meet the following requirements:

• Standards compliance: Protective clothing to EN 469 (fire service), EN ISO 20471 (high-visibility), EN ISO 11612 (heat protection); uniforms to military Technical Supply Conditions (TL) of BAAINBw
• Capacity evidence: Production capacity and delivery reliability for large contracts; minimum annual turnover as a suitability criterion
• Reference projects: Comparable supplies to public authorities, security services or institutional bulk customers
• Certifications: ISO 9001, plus ISO 14001 where required; for PPE, CE marking under EU Regulation 2016/425
• Supply-chain due diligence: LkSG compliance for businesses with 1,000+ employees; sustainability evidence is increasingly required

NACE 14.1 in context: Section C and Division 14

NACE 14.1 is the highest-volume group within apparel Division 14 and has the strongest direct link to the public procurement market.

• NACE C – Manufacturing: Parent section
• NACE 14 – Manufacture of wearing apparel: Parent division
• NACE 13.2 – Weaving of textiles: Supplier of uniform fabrics
• NACE 13.3 – Finishing of textiles: Supplier of finished fabrics
• NACE 14.2 – Manufacture of articles of fur: Neighbouring group with marginal public relevance
• NACE 15.2 – Manufacture of footwear: Complementary procurement segment for service footwear

Frequently asked questions about NACE 14.1 and public tenders

How are police uniforms tendered in Germany?
Police uniforms are a state matter. The 16 federal states procure independently, partly through central procurement offices or in cooperation. The Procurement Office of the BMI coordinates federal procurement. Large state contracts can require EU-wide tendering on TED.

Which suitability evidence is required for Bundeswehr apparel contracts?
BAAINBw typically requires: company references for comparable apparel volumes, test reports for the required protective functions, quality management systems (ISO 9001), evidence of production capacity and details of any subcontractors used.

Can foreign manufacturers participate in German police or Bundeswehr tenders?
Yes, EU-wide tenders are generally open to all EU bidders. For military procurement with security implications, however, national security requirements (VS-NfD) or defence-industrial considerations can effectively narrow the bidder pool.

How long do typical framework agreements for uniform procurement run?
Framework agreements for official apparel typically run for four years (the maximum statutory term under section 21 VgV), with extension options in some cases. Call-offs are made on a need basis within the contract term.

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