NACE 26.8 – Manufacture of Magnetic and Optical Media | Public Tenders

Definition: NACE 26.8 covers the manufacture of magnetic and optical storage media, including magnetic tapes, hard drives (without electronic components), optical discs (CD, DVD, Blu-ray), flash storage media and other unrecorded storage media. This group is particularly relevant for authorities with long-term archiving obligations.

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

What does NACE 26.8 cover?

NACE 26.8 (Manufacture of magnetic and optical media) classifies manufacturers of storage media used in the public sector for digital archiving, secure data backup and electronic record-keeping.

Group 26.8 is broken down into the following classes:

Public contracting authorities under NACE 26.8 include the Federal Archive and state archives, municipal archives, registry offices and residents' registration offices, tax offices and tax administrations, the justice system (courts, public prosecutors) and municipal IT service providers and data centres.

Public tenders: scope of activity NACE 26.8

Digital long-term archiving and secure data backup are statutory tasks for numerous authorities — the procurement of suitable storage media is an ongoing requirement in the public sector.

Typical contract types

• LTO magnetic tapes for backup and archiving: procurement of LTO tapes (LTO-8, LTO-9) for government data centres and server environments
• Optical archive media (M-DISC, Blu-ray): long-lived optical media for registry offices, archives and registers (birth, marriage and death registers)
• Encrypted USB storage: BSI-certified, hardware-encrypted USB sticks for secure data transfer in government
• Archiving services for public broadcasters: magnetic-tape libraries for public-service broadcasters (ARD, ZDF, state broadcasters)
• Court-file digitisation: procurement of storage media for the digitisation of paper files as part of the e-file initiative
• Election-document archiving: storage media for electoral authorities to retain election documents in line with statutory requirements

Thresholds and procurement procedures

Storage media are tendered as supply contracts (EU threshold EUR 221,000). For regular demand, framework agreements with one to four suppliers over 2–4 years are concluded. Small quantities are often procured in the simplified procedure or by direct purchase (up to EUR 1,000 net without a tender procedure).

Relevant CPV codes for NACE 26.8

The bridge between the NACE classification and the tender search is formed by the CPV codes (Common Procurement Vocabulary), which must be stated in every notice on TED.

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

For whom is NACE 26.8 relevant in procurement law?

Public contracting authorities

The Federal Archive and the state archives, as statutory archiving authorities, have an ongoing need for archive-suitable storage media. Municipal registry offices require long-lived media to secure civil-status registers. Public-service broadcasters such as ARD and ZDF operate large magnetic-tape libraries for archiving broadcast content.

Companies and bidders

Manufacturers and suppliers of storage media must typically provide the following evidence:

• BSI certification: for hardware-encrypted USB sticks and security storage media, BSI Grundschutz conformity or Common Criteria certification
• Archive suitability: evidence of long-term stability (e.g. ISO 18924 for optical media)
• Technical datasheets: manufacturer warranties for MTBF values, durability and compatibility
• Delivery reliability: evidence of stable supply chains and warehouse capacities for framework agreements

Frequently asked questions on NACE 26.8 and public tenders

Which storage media are suitable for long-term archiving in authorities?
The Federal Archive recommends M-DISC (Millenniata Disc) or LTO magnetic tapes for digital long-term archiving. Optical M-DISC media have a theoretical lifetime of over 1,000 years and are particularly suitable for statutory archiving obligations.

How do I find tenders for storage media?
Search on TED by CPV code 30234000 ff. Owing to the often low individual value, many procurements below the EU thresholds appear on national procurement platforms such as DTVP or evergabe.de.

What data-protection requirements apply to government storage media?
Storage media containing personal data must be protected by appropriate technical measures (encryption) under Article 32 GDPR. For mobile storage media, hardware-side encryption (AES-256) is required; BSI-certified products are preferred.

• NACE C – Manufacturing: parent section
• NACE 26 – Manufacture of computer, electronic and optical products: parent division
• NACE 26.7 – Manufacture of optical instruments: microscopes, cameras
• NACE 27.1 – Manufacture of electric motors and transformers: energy distribution, switchgear

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