NACE 78 – Employment Activities | Public Tenders
NACE 78: Recruitment and temporary work in public tenders. CPV codes, contracting authorities and typical contracts for the personnel services industry.
Definition: NACE 78 covers the placement of workers (recruitment, executive search), the supply of workers (temporary work, agency work) and other supply of personnel. These services are procured by public contracting authorities in a wide range of contexts.
What does NACE 78 cover?
NACE 78 (Employment activities) classifies recruitment agencies, temporary employment agencies and personnel service providers — a regulated area of growing importance in the public sector.
| Group | Title | Typical services |
|---|---|---|
| 78.1 | Activities of employment placement agencies | Recruitment, headhunting, executive search |
| 78.2 | Temporary employment agency activities | Temporary work, agency work, labour hire |
| 78.3 | Other human resources provision | Specialist supply, IT freelancer placement |
Public Tenders – Personnel Services
Public contracting authorities award personnel service contracts for temporary work, recruitment and the supply of specialists — a market with clear procurement rules and minimum wage obligations.
Typical types of contract
- Agency work (temporary work): Provision of administrative staff, case workers and call centre agents
- IT freelancer placement: Supply of software developers, IT specialists and project managers
- Medical personnel: Supply of care staff, doctors and medical-technical professionals
- Recruitment: Recruitment services for management positions in public undertakings
- Seasonal personnel provision: Reinforcement for peak workloads in public authorities, event personnel
Relevant CPV codes
| CPV Code | Title | Application |
|---|---|---|
| 79600000 | Recruitment services | Recruitment, headhunting |
| 79610000 | Placement services of personnel | Agency work in general |
| 79620000 | Supply services of personnel including temporary staff | Administrative and office personnel |
| 79621000 | Supply services of office personnel | Case workers, secretarial staff |
| 79634000 | Career guidance services | Executive search, direct search |
Contracting Authorities
Typical public contracting authorities in the field of NACE 78 are:
- Federal authorities and ministries: Temporary work for administrative support, IT specialists
- Public hospitals: Supply of care staff and doctors at times of shortage
- Federal IT service centres: Supply of IT specialists and developers
- Municipalities: Temporary staff for administration, green space maintenance, cleaning
- Public employment services (AMS, BA): Themselves also contracting authorities for their own services
FAQ
Do special rules apply to temporary work in the public sector? Agency work is subject to the AÜG (Temporary Employment Act) in Germany and the AÜG Austria, which prescribe maximum supply durations, equal treatment requirements and minimum wage rules. Under procurement law, these are treated as service contracts.
How is the contract value calculated for agency work? The contract value is the estimated total remuneration including all ancillary costs over the entire contract term. For framework agreements, the estimated total call-off volume over the term is taken as the basis.
- NACE N – Administrative and support service activities: Parent section
- NACE 78.1 – Recruitment: Sub-group
- NACE 78.2 – Agency work: Sub-group on temporary work
- NACE 70 – Activities of head offices and management consultancy: Related division
Last updated: January 2026
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