NACE 28.3 – Manufacture of Agricultural and Forestry Machinery | Public Tenders

NACE 28.3: Tractors and combine harvesters in public tenders. CPV codes and contracts for municipal green-space management and forestry.

Definition: NACE 28.3 covers the manufacture of agricultural and forestry machinery and equipment, including tractors, combine harvesters, planting machines, fertiliser spreaders and specialised forestry machinery. This machinery plays an increasing role in municipal green-space and forestry operations.

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

What does NACE 28.3 cover?

NACE 28.3 (Manufacture of agricultural and forestry machinery) classifies producers of tractors, harvesting machinery, municipal vehicles and forestry equipment — equipment that municipal works depots, parks departments and forestry administrations need for their day-to-day work.

Group 28.3 is broken down into the following classes:

Class	Title	Typical Products
28.30	Manufacture of agricultural and forestry machinery	Tractors, combine harvesters, planting machines, specialised forestry machinery

Public contracting authorities are primarily municipal works depots, parks departments, cemetery administrations, state forestry enterprises (e.g. Austrian Federal Forests, regional forest authorities), road maintenance depots and agricultural training and research institutions.

Public Tenders: Scope of NACE 28.3

Municipal green-space management and public forestry generate regular procurement demand for tractors, mowing vehicles and forestry machinery — often bundled into works depots' framework agreements.

Typical Contract Types

Municipal tractors: Procurement of narrow-track tractors, tool carriers and municipal vehicles for works depots and parks departments
Lawn mowers and mowing systems: Ride-on mowers, flail mowers, embankment mowers for road verges and green spaces
Forestry machinery: Harvesters, forwarders and forestry tractors for state forestry enterprises
Attachments and accessories: Front loaders, mulchers, balers, snow ploughs as supplementary procurement
School agricultural machinery: Tractors and teaching equipment for agricultural vocational schools and universities
Tool carriers for winter service: Multi-purpose vehicles with spreader attachments for municipal works depots

Thresholds and Procedure Types

Vehicle and machinery procurement is classified in public procurement law as supply contracts. The EU threshold for supply contracts is EUR 221,000 (central government authorities: EUR 143,000). Municipal joint purchasing through shared procurement bodies or purchasing groups reduces transaction costs.

Relevant CPV Codes for NACE 28.3

CPV Code	Title	Scope
16000000	Agricultural machinery	Top-level category
16700000	Tractors	Municipal tractors, agricultural tractors
16310000	Mowers	Ride-on mowers, flail mowers
16600000	Specialist agricultural or forestry machinery	Harvesters, forwarders, skidders
16800000	Parts of agricultural and forestry machinery	Attachments, spare parts
43260000	Mechanical shovels, excavators and shovel loaders, and mining machinery	Front loaders, municipal equipment

Current tenders can be found on TED (Tenders Electronic Daily) and on national procurement portals.

Who is NACE 28.3 relevant for in public procurement?

Public Contracting Authorities

Municipal works depots and parks departments are the most frequent buyers in the NACE 28.3 segment. State forestry enterprises — in Germany the regional forest authorities of the federal states, in Austria the Austrian Federal Forests — regularly procure forestry machinery through central procurement procedures. Road maintenance depots procure municipal vehicles for winter service and green-space management on federal roads.

Companies and Bidders

Manufacturers and specialist dealers for agricultural and forestry machinery should have the following documents ready for public tendering:

Technical capability: Type approvals, CE marking, manufacturer data sheets
References: Evidence of comparable supplies to contracting authorities
Customer service and spare parts availability: Demonstrably organised customer service in the contracting authority's region
Environmental requirements: Engine emission standards (Stage V under Regulation (EU) 2016/1628), emissions classification

Frequently Asked Questions on NACE 28.3 and Public Tenders

Can agricultural machinery dealers participate in public tendering?
Yes — in addition to manufacturers, authorised dealers and importers can also participate in tendering, provided they meet the suitability requirements (customer service, spare parts, warranty services).

Which emission standard must a municipal tractor meet?
Since 2019/2020, new non-road mobile machinery must comply with emission stage Stage V (Regulation (EU) 2016/1628). Contracting authorities regularly specify this standard as a minimum requirement in tenders.

Are green-space management machines supply or works contracts?
The procurement of the machinery is a supply contract. Green-space management services (mowing, maintenance) are service contracts under CPV 77310000 and are tendered separately.

NACE 28.3 in context: Section C and Division 28

NACE C – Manufacturing: Parent section
NACE 28.1 – Manufacture of general-purpose machinery: Pumps, compressors, fittings
NACE 28.2 – Manufacture of other general-purpose machinery: Lifting equipment, refrigeration plants
NACE 28.4 – Manufacture of metal forming machinery and machine tools: Machine tools, presses

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