NACE 30 – Manufacture of Other Transport Equipment | Public Tenders

NACE 30: Shipbuilding, rail vehicles, aerospace and military vehicles in public tenders. CPV codes, contracting authorities and relevant contracts.

Definition: NACE 30 covers the manufacture of other transport equipment – i.e. all vehicles other than motor vehicles. This includes ships and boats, rail vehicles, aircraft and spacecraft, and military fighting vehicles. These areas are among the most strategically important and highest-volume procurement fields in the public sector, particularly at federal and EU level.

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

What does NACE 30 cover?

NACE 30 (Manufacture of other transport equipment) classifies manufacturers of non-road vehicles – areas in which the public sector is often the principal buyer and where tendering is partly subject to special procurement law arrangements.

Division 30 within Section C (Manufacturing) is broken down into five groups:

Group	Title	Typical Products
30.1	Building of ships and boats	Cargo ships, ferries, patrol boats, coastguard vessels, sport boats
30.2	Manufacture of railway locomotives and rolling stock	Locomotives, suburban trains, trams, metros, freight wagons
30.3	Manufacture of air and spacecraft and related machinery	Passenger aircraft, helicopters, satellites, drones
30.4	Manufacture of military fighting vehicles	Tanks, armoured vehicles, military vehicles
30.9	Manufacture of transport equipment n.e.c.	Motorcycles, bicycles, invalid carriages

Contracting authorities dominate as principal buyers in these areas: the Bundeswehr, navy, air force (NACE 30.3, 30.4), transport operators and railway infrastructure operators (NACE 30.2) as well as maritime and coastguard authorities (NACE 30.1).

Public Tenders: Scope of NACE 30

Other transport equipment is a strategic procurement area with high contract values – rail vehicles, defence goods and ships are among the largest single procurements in the public sector.

Typical Contract Types

Rail vehicles: Ordering of multiple-unit trains, suburban trains and trams by transport operators and railway undertakings
Ships and boats: New construction of ferries, customs boats, police boats and coastguard vessels
Military aircraft: Procurement of combat aircraft, transport aircraft and helicopters for the armed forces
Drones and unmanned systems: UAVs for police, Bundeswehr, civil protection
Fighting vehicles: Tanks, armoured transport vehicles, infantry fighting vehicles for the armed forces
Bicycles and cargo bikes: Municipal bicycle fleets for citizen services, cargo bikes for parcel services of municipal operations

Thresholds and Procedure Types

Procurement in NACE 30 is subject to varying procurement regimes. Rail vehicles for transport operators as utility contracting entities: threshold EUR 443,000 (Utilities Directive 2014/25/EU). Defence goods: procurement under Directive 2009/81/EC (defence and security procurement) with specific confidentiality and security requirements. Ship procurement for civilian authorities: rules of Directive 2014/24/EU.

Relevant CPV Codes for NACE 30

Tenders for other transport equipment can be identified via CPV codes from the 34600000 (Rail vehicles), 34500000 (Ships) and 34700000 (Aircraft and spacecraft) areas.

CPV Code	Title	Scope
34600000	Railway and tramway locomotives and rolling stock and associated parts	Locomotives, multiple units, trams
34620000	Rolling stock	Suburban trains, regional express, metro
34622000	Railway and tramway passenger coaches, and trolleybuses	Local public transport vehicles, long-distance carriages
34500000	Ships and boats	Ferries, patrol boats, authority ships
34700000	Aircraft and spacecraft	Aircraft, helicopters, drones
35400000	Military vehicles and parts thereof	Tanks, armoured vehicles

Current tenders with these CPV codes can be found on TED (Tenders Electronic Daily) and on national procurement platforms.

For Contracting Authorities and Bidders

Public Contracting Authorities

In NACE 30, the most important contracting authorities are:

Rail vehicles (30.2): DB Fernverkehr AG, DB Regio AG, ÖBB-Personenverkehr AG, municipal transport operators (MVG, BVG, Wiener Linien) as utility contracting entities
Ships and boats (30.1): Federal Ministry of the Interior (Federal Police Maritime), Federal Ministry of Finance (customs), Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport (Waterways and Shipping Office), coastal federal states
Aircraft and spacecraft (30.3): Federal Ministry of Defence, federal police, air rescue organisations
Military vehicles (30.4): Federal Ministry of Defence (via the Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment / BAAINBw), NATO joint procurement

Companies and Bidders

Bidders in NACE 30 must meet specific requirements depending on the vehicle segment:

Rail vehicles: Approval under railway law (TSI conformity, EBA approval, EN standards in the 45xxx series)
Defence goods: Defence export licence, security clearance of personnel, ITAR compliance where US technology is used
Ships: Classification society certificates (Lloyd's, DNV, Bureau Veritas), SOLAS conformity
Aircraft: EASA type approval, Production Organisation Approval (POA) under Part 21

Frequently Asked Questions on NACE 30 and Public Tenders

Which special procurement rules apply to defence procurement?
In the EU, procurement in the field of defence and security is governed by Directive 2009/81/EC, transposed in Germany by the Defence and Security Procurement Regulation (VSVgV). This permits derogating procedures (e.g. negotiated procedure without prior publication) and provides for specific requirements on information security and supply chain control.

How long do typical procurement procedures for rail vehicles take?
Due to the technical complexity and high contract values, procurement procedures for rail vehicles usually take 12–24 months. From the notice to contract award, several rounds of bidding, technical assessments and negotiations are common. In addition, series production and acceptance take several more years.

Can SMEs participate in transport equipment tenders?
Yes – especially as subcontractors or in bidding consortia. Rail vehicle manufacturers such as Siemens, Alstom or Stadler Rail commission extensive supplier chains for system components. SMEs can position themselves as specialised suppliers for electrics, software, interior fittings or safety systems.

What is the importance of life-cycle costs (LCC) in rail vehicle tenders?
Life-cycle costs play a central role in evaluating bids for rail vehicles, as operating costs over a service life of 30–40 years can far exceed acquisition costs. Energy consumption, maintenance intervals, spare parts availability and reliability evidence (RAMS under EN 50126) are typical award criteria alongside the purchase price.

NACE C – Manufacturing: Parent section covering all manufacturing activities
NACE 29 – Manufacture of motor vehicles, trailers and semi-trailers: Vehicle manufacture and motor vehicle parts
NACE 28 – Manufacture of machinery and equipment: General and industry-specific machinery
NACE H – Transportation and storage: Transport services and logistics

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