NACE 46.5 – Wholesale of Information and Communication Equipment | Public Tenders

Definition: NACE 46.5 covers the wholesale of computers, peripherals, telecommunications equipment, electronic components and office machinery. This group is of particular importance in public procurement, as the state is one of the largest consumers of ICT products in Europe.

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

What does NACE 46.5 cover?

NACE 46.5 (Wholesale of information and communication equipment) classifies companies distributing information and communication technology and office machinery at wholesale — a central segment of public IT procurement.

Group 46.5 within Section G (Trade) and Division 46 (Wholesale trade) is divided into three classes:

Public contracting authorities under NACE 46.5 are primarily federal ministries and authorities, state administrations, municipalities, schools and educational institutions, hospitals and municipal and state IT service companies.

Public Tenders: IT Procurement in the Public Sector

ICT procurement is one of the highest-volume areas of goods procurement in the public sector — authorities and public institutions regularly renew their IT infrastructure and tender corresponding framework agreements and individual procurements.

Typical contract types

• End-device framework agreements: Tenders for laptops, desktop PCs and tablets for authorities, schools and universities, often as multi-year framework agreements
• Servers and data centre equipment: Procurement of servers, storage systems, network hardware for state data centres and authorities
• Print solutions and managed print services: Multi-function printers, copiers, consumables and combined print and service contracts
• Peripherals and accessories: Monitors, keyboards, mice, headsets, webcams for office equipment
• Telecommunications end devices: Service mobile phones, desk phones, video conferencing systems for public facilities
• Specialist hardware: Ruggedised devices for police and fire brigade, point-of-sale devices for public bodies, readers for electronic ID cards

Thresholds and procedure types

For supply contracts, the EU-wide tendering obligation on TED applies from EUR 221,000 (central authorities: EUR 143,000, as of 2024/2025). Many ICT procurements are tendered as framework agreements with a term of up to four years, as technology and prices change rapidly. The open procedure is the standard procedure type; for highly complex or innovative procurements, the competitive procedure with negotiation is used.

Relevant CPV codes for NACE 46.5

The link between NACE classification and public tenders is provided by CPV codes (Common Procurement Vocabulary), which must be stated in every EU-wide notice.

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

Who is NACE 46.5 relevant for in public procurement?

Public contracting authorities

Almost every public body regularly procures ICT hardware. At federal level in Germany, the Procurement Office of the Federal Ministry of the Interior (BeschA) and ITZBund coordinate central IT framework agreements. In Austria, the Federal Procurement Agency (BBG) handles central framework agreements for ICT products that can be used by all federal bodies. At municipal and state level, procurement is frequently handled through municipal IT service providers or directly by the institutions.

Companies and bidders

Wholesalers and system houses active under NACE 46.5 typically must provide the following suitability evidence for EU-wide tenders:

• Trade authorisation: Trade registration as a wholesaler or IT specialist dealer
• Technical capacity: Reference lists of comparable supply contracts, evidence of manufacturer partner programmes (e.g. Microsoft Partner, Dell Authorized Reseller)
• Economic and financial capacity: Minimum annual turnover, creditworthiness evidence, business liability insurance
• Quality evidence: ISO 9001, environmental management systems for equipment procurement (EPEAT certification of products)

Joint bidders between wholesalers and specialised system houses are common for complex IT framework agreements with extensive service components.

NACE 46.5 in context: Section G and Division 46

NACE 46.5 is part of Division 46 (Wholesale trade) within the trade Section G — one of the largest procurement segments in public procurement.

• NACE G – Trade: Parent section covering all trade activities
• NACE 46 – Wholesale trade: Division covering all wholesale groups
• NACE 46.4 – Wholesale of household goods: Household, textile and consumer goods
• NACE 46.6 – Wholesale of other machinery, equipment and supplies: Investment goods and industrial equipment

Frequently asked questions on NACE 46.5 and public tenders

Which companies fall under NACE 46.5?
IT wholesalers, system houses, dealers in office machinery and telecommunications equipment that are predominantly active in trade with ICT products. Classification is based on the economic focus.

How does IT procurement under NACE 46.5 differ from IT services under NACE 62?
NACE 46.5 captures pure hardware trade. IT services (software development, IT consulting) fall under NACE 62. In practice, hardware and software are often tendered in combination; bidders must then cover both areas of expertise or form a joint bidder.

Are framework agreements for ICT hardware tendered EU-wide?
Yes, provided the estimated total contract value exceeds the EU thresholds. Central procurement bodies (BBG, BeschA) conclude framework agreements EU-wide that can then be called off by many bodies without renewed tendering.

What environmental requirements apply to IT procurement?
Public contracting authorities increasingly require energy efficiency (Energy Star label, TCO certification), repairability and recyclability. The EU Ecodesign Regulation and national action plans for sustainable procurement (NAP) shape the requirement profiles.

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