NACE 64.1 – Monetary Intermediation | Public Tenders

Definition: NACE 64.1 covers the economic activities of central banks and of credit institutions that accept deposits and grant loans. This group forms the core of the banking sector and is relevant in public procurement as a provider of financial services to public bodies.

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

What does NACE 64.1 cover?

NACE 64.1 (Monetary intermediation) classifies banks and monetary policy institutions that provide deposit and lending business as a core service — and therefore act as contractors for financial services to public bodies.

Group 64.1 within Section K (Financial and insurance activities) and Division 64 (Financial service activities) is broken down into two classes:

Public contracting authorities commission credit institutions primarily for account management and payment transactions, municipal loans and registered debt securities, cash management as well as banking services for in-house operations and municipal undertakings.

Public Tenders: Sector NACE 64.1

Banking services are among the regularly tendered financial services of public contracting authorities — both municipalities and federal authorities rely on credit institutions as partners.

Typical types of contract

• Account management and payments: Principal banking relationship for territorial authorities, processing of bulk payments, SEPA transfers and direct debit mandates
• Municipal loans and registered debt securities: Investment loans for infrastructure projects, cash credits to secure liquidity, refinancing facilities
• Cash management: Group account models, liquidity management for municipal groups, automated balance-clearing systems
• Card services: Business travel credit cards, purchasing cards for procurement units, virtual cards for supplier payments
• Documentary processing: Letters of credit and bank guarantees in public procurement
• Custody services: Administration of securities accounts for public pension funds and foundations

Thresholds and procedure types

Banking services for public contracting authorities are subject to the EU tendering obligation from a contract value of EUR 750,000 (service concessions) or the general service threshold of EUR 221,000. Framework agreements with one or several banks are frequently concluded for four years.

Relevant CPV codes for NACE 64.1

CPV codes form the basis for tender searches on TED and national procurement platforms for banking services to public bodies.

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

Who is NACE 64.1 relevant for in public procurement?

Public contracting authorities

All territorial authorities — federal, regional, local — as well as municipal undertakings, special-purpose associations, universities and social insurance institutions are relevant as buyers of banking services. In Austria, municipalities and cities are increasingly tendering banking services formally; in Germany, municipalities are obliged to tender banking services EU-wide from the EU threshold.

Companies and bidders

Credit institutions wishing to participate in public tenders for banking services must typically provide the following eligibility evidence:

• Authorisation: Banking licence pursuant to CRR/CRD IV (authorisation by BaFin, FMA or ECB)
• Technical capability: References for comparable banking services for public contracting authorities
• Economic capability: Creditworthiness evidence, balance sheet figures, capital ratios
• Security requirements: Data protection and IT security evidence (BSI baseline protection, ISO 27001)

NACE 64.1 in context: Section K and Division 64

NACE 64.1 is part of Division 64 (Financial service activities) within the financial and insurance Section K.

• NACE K – Financial and insurance activities: Parent section
• NACE 64 – Financial service activities: Parent division
• NACE 64.2 – Activities of holding companies: Holding companies
• NACE 64.3 – Trusts, funds and similar financial entities: Fund services
• NACE 64.9 – Other financial service activities: Factoring, leasing

Frequently Asked Questions on NACE 64.1 and public tenders

Do municipalities have to tender their banking relationship publicly?
Yes, on reaching the EU threshold for service contracts (currently EUR 221,000), municipalities are obliged to tender banking services EU-wide. Below this threshold, national procurement law applies.

What contract durations are usual in banking tenders?
Framework agreements with credit institutions are generally concluded for four years. For municipal loans, the term depends on the financing need and ranges from short cash credits to 30-year investment loans.

Can foreign banks participate in German or Austrian tenders?
Yes, provided the bank has a valid authorisation in the EU internal market, participation is open. EU banking passporting enables the cross-border provision of banking services.

How do I find current tenders for banking services?
Search on TED using CPV codes such as 66110000 or 66172000. National platforms such as DTVP, Vergabe.NRW or the Austrian federal procurement platform also offer filtering by service type.

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