NACE 46.6 – Wholesale of Other Machinery, Equipment and Supplies | Public Tenders

Definition: NACE 46.6 covers the wholesale of machinery, equipment, vehicles (excluding motor vehicles) and accessories for industry, construction, agriculture and public facilities. This group is relevant in public procurement, as authorities, municipal operations and state undertakings regularly procure capital goods and special equipment.

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

What does NACE 46.6 cover?

NACE 46.6 (Wholesale of other machinery, equipment and supplies) classifies companies that distribute capital goods and technical equipment at wholesale — a versatile segment that touches on numerous areas of public procurement.

Group 46.6 within Section G (Trade) and Division 46 (Wholesale trade) is divided into several classes:

Public contracting authorities under NACE 46.6 are municipal depots, fire brigades, waste management operations, the armed forces, police, hospitals and state research institutions and laboratories.

Public Tenders: Machinery Wholesale and the Public Sector

The public sector procures a wide range of machinery and equipment — from municipal vehicles through firefighting technology to laboratory equipment. Each year, several thousand procurement projects in this segment are published EU-wide.

Typical contract types

• Municipal technology and vehicles: Sweepers, snow clearance equipment, crane and lifting platform vehicles for depots and municipal service providers
• Fire brigade and civil protection equipment: Firefighting vehicles, breathing apparatus, hydraulic rescue equipment, operational clothing
• Laboratory equipment and measuring instruments: Analytical equipment, testing facilities for state laboratories, metrology authority equipment
• Office furniture and interior fittings: Workstation equipment for authorities, ergonomic furniture, partition walls and conference furniture
• Workshop equipment: Machine tools and lifting equipment for municipal workshops and public operations
• Cleaning machinery and equipment: Scrubber-dryers, high-pressure cleaners for public buildings and transport areas

Thresholds and procedure types

For supply contracts, the EU-wide tendering obligation applies from EUR 221,000 (central authorities: EUR 143,000, as of 2024/2025). Smaller procurements (below national thresholds) are conducted as restricted or negotiated awards, where applicable with a call for participation. For technically complex equipment (e.g. special vehicles), the competitive procedure with negotiation applies.

Relevant CPV codes for NACE 46.6

The bridge between NACE classification and tender search is formed by CPV codes (Common Procurement Vocabulary), which must be stated in every TED notice.

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

Who is NACE 46.6 relevant for in public procurement?

Public contracting authorities

The breadth of the NACE 46.6 segment is reflected in the diversity of public contracting authorities. Municipal depots and utilities procure municipal vehicles and machine tools. Fire brigades and civil protection authorities — coordinated in Germany via the BBK and in Austria via the BM.I — procure specialist equipment. The federal armed forces and police have their own extensive procurement programmes for technical equipment. Universities and state research institutions procure laboratory equipment, frequently within DFG- or FWF-funded projects.

Companies and bidders

Wholesalers and specialist dealers in machinery and equipment typically must provide the following suitability evidence for public tenders:

• Trade authorisation: Trade registration, for security technology where applicable expertise certificates
• Technical capacity: Reference lists, service network evidence, spare parts supply guarantees
• Economic and financial capacity: Minimum annual turnover, liability insurance, creditworthiness evidence
• Product certifications: CE marking, product-specific standards (e.g. DIN EN for firefighting equipment)

For specialist equipment, manufacturer authorisation evidence and evidence of a qualified service network are often award criteria.

NACE 46.6 in context: Section G and Division 46

NACE 46.6 is part of Division 46 (Wholesale trade) within the trade Section G — an economically significant segment in public procurement.

• NACE G – Trade: Parent section covering all trade activities
• NACE 46 – Wholesale trade: Division covering all wholesale groups
• NACE 46.5 – Wholesale of information and communication equipment: Computers, telecommunications, office machinery
• NACE 46.7 – Other specialised wholesale: Industrial materials and raw materials

Frequently asked questions on NACE 46.6 and public tenders

Which companies fall under NACE 46.6?
Wholesalers that predominantly distribute machinery, equipment and technical accessories for industry, agriculture, construction or public facilities. The distinction from NACE 46.9 arises from specialisation in technical capital goods.

How are complex equipment items (e.g. special vehicles) tendered?
For technically complex equipment, tendering frequently takes the form of a functional specification that gives the bidder scope in the technical solution. The competitive procedure with negotiation also allows requirements to be adapted in dialogue with bidders.

What role do maintenance contracts play in machinery procurement?
Public contracting authorities frequently conclude maintenance and service contracts alongside the purchase contract. These can be part of the main tender (overall package) or be awarded separately. The life-cycle costs approach (LCC) is gaining importance in evaluation.

Is EU-wide tendering always required?
No. Below the EU thresholds (EUR 221,000 for supply contracts), national procurement rules apply. Many machinery procurements by municipalities fall below this threshold and are conducted under national law as a public or restricted tender.

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