NACE 43.9 – Other Specialised Construction Activities | Public Tenders

Definition: NACE 43.9 covers other specialised construction activities not classified under building installation or classical finishing — in particular scaffolding, roofing, roof sealing, chimney and industrial furnace construction and other specialised construction work. These trades are regularly tendered in public refurbishments, maintenance measures and new-build projects.

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

What does NACE 43.9 cover?

NACE 43.9 (Other specialised construction activities) classifies specialist companies providing specialised services on and on top of buildings that are classified neither under shell construction nor under classical finishing — a frequently tendered area in public procurement.

Group 43.9 is part of Section F (Construction) and Division 43 (Specialised construction activities). It is divided into the following classes:

Public contracting authorities in this area are federal authorities, federal states, municipalities, school operators, hospital operators, housing companies and municipal property and building administrations.

Public Tenders: Scope of NACE 43.9

Specialised construction activities under NACE 43.9 — particularly roofing, scaffolding and sealing — are continuously present in public tenders, as public buildings require regular maintenance and energy upgrading.

Typical contract types

• Roofing and roof refurbishment: Renewal of tile roofs, flat-roof sealing and metal roofs on schools, town halls, sports halls and residential complexes; roof insulation as part of energy refurbishment programmes
• Scaffolding works: Erection and dismantling of façade scaffolding for refurbishment and painting work on public buildings; scaffolding framework agreements for municipal property portfolios
• Sealing works: Basement sealing, underground car park sealing, flat-roof sealing, bridge sealing and tunnel sealing in the infrastructure area
• Chimney and stack refurbishment: Refurbishment of chimney systems in connection with heating-system conversions in public buildings
• Concrete protection and repair: Protective coatings on concrete, crack injection, concrete cosmetics on car parks, bridges and tunnel concrete surfaces
• Specialist cleaning and blasting: Sandblasting, high-pressure cleaning and façade cleaning on listed public buildings

Thresholds and procedure types

Specialised construction activities are frequently awarded in public tenders as trade lots of an overarching refurbishment project. If the total value of a works contract exceeds the EU threshold (EUR 5,538,000, as of 2024/2025), EU-wide publication on TED is required. Individual trade lots — such as a scaffolding lot or a roofing lot — are often awarded in the national open procedure or restricted tender. Framework agreements for ongoing maintenance measures are particularly widespread in this segment.

Relevant CPV codes for NACE 43.9

CPV codes (Common Procurement Vocabulary) are the key instrument for searching for public tenders on TED and national procurement platforms.

Current tenders with these CPV codes can be found on TED (Tenders Electronic Daily) and on national procurement platforms such as the Austrian Federal Procurement Portal or the German Procurement Portal (DTVP).

Who is NACE 43.9 relevant for in public procurement?

Public contracting authorities

The public building stock — schools, administrative buildings, hospitals, sports halls, residential complexes of municipal sponsors — requires ongoing maintenance and energy refurbishment. Central contracting authorities are:

• Federal and state bodies: Federal Real Estate Company (BIG) in Austria, Federal Institute for Real Estate (BImA) in Germany, state building administrations
• Municipalities and cities: Municipal building offices, property and facility management departments, municipal housing companies
• Special contracting authorities in the infrastructure area: Road authorities and railway infrastructure companies (sealing works on bridges and tunnels)

Companies and bidders

Specialist companies under NACE 43.9 typically must demonstrate the following in the suitability assessment:

• Trade authorisation: Trade licence in the relevant craft (roofer, scaffolder, sealer, chimney sweep)
• Technical capacity: Reference lists of comparable executed projects, qualification evidence of key personnel (e.g. certified master roofer)
• Economic and financial capacity: Annual turnover, business liability insurance with sufficient cover (particularly in scaffolding)
• Certifications and authorisations: Manufacturer authorisations for roof sealing systems, ZVDH membership, specialist company evidence for sealing works under DIN 18195

For scaffolding contracts and specialised sealing works, occupational safety concepts and HSE coordination are frequently part of the suitability requirements.

NACE 43.9 in context: Section F and Division 43

NACE 43.9 is part of Division 43 (Specialised construction activities) within the construction Section F.

• NACE F – Construction: Parent section covering all construction activities
• NACE 43 – Specialised construction activities: Parent division
• NACE 43.1 – Demolition and site preparation: Demolition, earthworks, unexploded ordnance clearance
• NACE 43.2 – Electrical, plumbing and other installation activities: Electrical, plumbing, heating, air conditioning
• NACE 43.3 – Building completion and finishing: Plastering, flooring, tiling, painting, glazing, carpentry

Frequently asked questions on NACE 43.9 and public tenders

Which trades fall under NACE 43.9?
Roofing, scaffolding, sealing works, chimney and stack construction as well as concrete protection and blasting work are the core trades of this group. NACE classification is based on the economic focus of the company.

Are scaffolding and roofing tendered jointly?
As a rule, these trades are awarded as separate trade lots, since public contracting authorities are obliged to award by lots under § 97 (4) GWB and § 76 (2) BVergG 2018. Scaffolding is often tendered as an independent trade lot that can be used by all trades working on the scaffold.

How do I find current roof refurbishment tenders?
Search on TED or national procurement platforms by CPV code 45261000 (roofing work) or 45261210 (roof sealing work). Many municipal procurement platforms also offer free-text searches by project name such as "roof refurbishment" or "roof sealing".

What special requirements apply to listed buildings?
For public buildings under heritage protection, specific qualification requirements may apply — such as experience in the restoration of historic roof structures, knowledge of traditional roofing materials or evidence of cooperation with heritage authorities. These requirements are set out separately in the tender documents.

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