NACE 29.2 – Manufacture of Bodies, Coachwork and Trailers | Public Tenders

NACE 29.2: Special-purpose bodies for fire service, police and emergency services in public tenders. CPV codes and contracts for emergency response vehicles and refuse collection vehicles.

Definition: NACE 29.2 covers the manufacture of bodies (coachwork), vehicle bodies and trailers, including caravans. For the public sector, special-purpose bodies for emergency response vehicles of fire services, police, emergency services and municipal waste disposal are of outstanding importance.

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

What does NACE 29.2 cover?

NACE 29.2 (Manufacture of bodies, coachwork and trailers) classifies companies that build vehicle bodies and coachwork on third-party chassis — a core segment of public procurement for emergency response and special-purpose vehicles of all kinds.

Group 29.2 is broken down into the following classes:

Class	Title	Typical Products
29.20	Manufacture of bodies (coachwork) for motor vehicles; manufacture of trailers and semi-trailers	Fire service bodies, ambulance modules, police special-purpose bodies, refuse collection bodies, semi-trailers

Public contracting authorities are primarily municipal fire services and professional fire brigades, emergency services organisations (DRK, ASB, Malteser), municipalities for waste management and street cleaning, police authorities and Bundeswehr logistics.

Public Tenders: Scope of NACE 29.2

Special-purpose vehicle bodies for fire services, emergency services and municipal waste disposal are a core area of public supply contracts — the highly individual configuration of the vehicles requires specialised body builders with a public tendering focus.

Typical Contract Types

Fire service vehicles: Fire engines (LF 10, HLF 20), turntable ladders, rescue tenders, command vehicles in accordance with DIN standards
Emergency vehicles: Patient transport ambulances (KTW), emergency physician response vehicles (NEF), intensive care transport vehicles to DIN EN 1789
Refuse collection vehicles: Rear loaders, side loaders, compactor vehicles for municipal waste management
Police special-purpose vehicles: Mobile command posts, prisoner transport vehicles, water cannon
Trailers and semi-trailers: Equipment trailers for fire services, oil spill trailers, collapsible container trailers
Street cleaning bodies: Sweeper bodies, winter service bodies on carrier vehicles

Thresholds and Procedure Types

Special-purpose vehicles are tendered as supply contracts. The EU threshold is EUR 221,000 for municipal contracting authorities. Due to technical complexity and standard requirements (e.g. DIN EN 1789 for ambulances), open procedures with detailed technical specifications or negotiated procedures without prior publication in cases of unique technical complexity are frequently used.

Relevant CPV Codes for NACE 29.2

CPV Code	Title	Scope
34144210	Fire-fighting vehicles	Fire engines, turntable ladders, rescue tenders
34114121	Ambulances	RTW, KTW, NEF
34144511	Refuse-collection vehicles	Rear loaders, side loaders
34114000	Specialist vehicles	Police special-purpose vehicles, special-purpose bodies
34220000	Trailers, semi-trailers and mobile containers	Equipment trailers, container trailers
34223300	Semi-trailers	Heavy goods transport, logistics semi-trailers

Current tenders can be found on TED (Tenders Electronic Daily) and on tender portals of the federal states and municipalities.

Who is NACE 29.2 relevant for in public procurement?

Public Contracting Authorities

Municipal and state fire services usually procure vehicle bodies independently or via state fire service associations. In Germany, emergency service vehicles are procured by emergency service organisations (often holding a public-service contract) or directly by districts and cities. Waste management operations are either municipal own-account enterprises or privately constituted companies — the latter are not necessarily subject to procurement obligations.

Companies and Bidders

Body builders must demonstrate in public procurement procedures in particular:

DIN standards conformity: Compliance with the applicable DIN standards (e.g. DIN 14530 for fire service vehicles, DIN EN 1789 for ambulances)
Manufacturer certifications: Type approvals, declarations of conformity, TÜV approvals
References: Comparable supplies within the last 3–5 years
Customer service: Secured customer service in the contracting authority's region

Frequently Asked Questions on NACE 29.2 and Public Tenders

Are chassis and body tendered together?
Combined tenders (chassis with body as a system supply) are common, where the body builder purchases the chassis and supplies the complete system. Alternatively, chassis and body may be awarded in separate lots.

Which standards apply to fire service vehicle bodies?
In Germany, the DIN standards in the DIN 14530 series (fire engines) and other specific standards apply. EU-wide, EN 1846 for fire service vehicles is authoritative. Federal states may impose additional requirements.

Can bidding consortia of chassis supplier and body builder participate in a tender?
Yes — bidding consortia are permissible under procurement law (§ 43 VgV) where there is no unlawful restriction of competition.

NACE 29.2 in context: Section C and Division 29

NACE C – Manufacturing: Parent section
NACE 29.1 – Manufacture of motor vehicles: Passenger cars, trucks, chassis
NACE 29.3 – Manufacture of motor vehicle parts and accessories: Spare parts, tyres, vehicle electronics
NACE 30.9 – Manufacture of transport equipment n.e.c.: Motorcycles, bicycles, wheelchairs

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