NACE 84.3 – Compulsory Social Security | Public Tenders

Definition: NACE 84.3 covers the activities of statutory social security institutions — health insurance, pension insurance, accident insurance, long-term care insurance and unemployment insurance. These public-law corporations are significant contracting authorities, in particular for IT, communications and administrative services.

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

What does NACE 84.3 cover?

NACE 84.3 (Compulsory social security) classifies the institutions of statutory social security as economic units — and as contracting authorities that generate substantial procurement volumes each year, in particular for IT, printed products and office equipment.

Group 84.3 within Section O and Division 84 includes the following classes:

Social security institutions are public-law corporations and therefore in principle contracting authorities within the meaning of procurement law. They are subject to the procurement rules of the GWB and the VgV, or the Austrian BVergG.

Public Tenders: Activity area NACE 84.3

Social security institutions procure in particular IT systems (administrative software, document management systems), print and postage services, as well as office supplies and consultancy services.

Typical types of contract

• IT systems: Administrative software for benefit processing, electronic patient records, pension notice systems
• Printed products: Mass printing of notices, insurance cards, information materials
• Office supplies and equipment: Framework agreements for consumables, office furniture, office technology
• Consultancy services: Organisational consultancy, IT consultancy, legal opinions
• Buildings and premises: Lease and maintenance contracts for branch and advisory offices
• Communication services: Telecommunications, postal services, online communication

Specific feature: cooperative procurement

Many social security institutions pool their requirements in joint tenders or via purchasing groups. In Germany, the ITSG (IT Service Centre of the Statutory Health Insurance) coordinates technical standards and conducts joint IT tenders.

Relevant CPV codes for NACE 84.3

Who is NACE 84.3 relevant to under procurement law?

Public contracting authorities

Statutory health insurance funds, pension insurance institutions and the Federal Employment Agency are contracting authorities by virtue of their status as public-law corporations. The procurement review bodies have repeatedly confirmed that social security institutions are bound by procurement law. A particular feature concerns the demarcation from social-insurance contracts with panel doctors and service providers, which are subject to their own regulatory regimes.

Companies and bidders

For IT and print contracts with social security institutions, the following are particularly relevant:

• Data protection and IT security: GDPR compliance, BSI Basic IT Protection, special requirements for social data (§ 80 SGB X)
• System certifications: ISO 27001 for IT security, special certifications in the health IT sector
• References: Experience with comparable contracts for social security institutions or comparable authorities
• Financial capacity: Evidence of sufficient credit standing for large, multi-year framework agreements

NACE 84.3 in context: Section O and Division 84

• NACE O – Public Administration: Parent section
• NACE 84 – Public administration and defence; compulsory social security: Division
• NACE 84.1 – General public administration: General administrative activity
• NACE 84.2 – Services to the community: Defence, justice, fire services

Frequently asked questions on NACE 84.3 and public tenders

Are statutory health insurance funds required to tender? Yes. Statutory health insurance funds are public-law corporations and therefore contracting authorities within the meaning of § 99 GWB. They must tender contracts EU-wide above the relevant thresholds.

Does procurement law also apply to contracts with panel doctors? No. Panel-doctor authorisations and selective contracts under SGB V are not subject to general procurement law, but to social insurance law (§§ 69 ff. SGB V). For the procurement of supplies and services, however, the GWB applies.

What special data protection requirements apply to contracts for social security institutions? Social data (§ 67 SGB X) is subject to enhanced protection. Contractors must ensure technical and organisational measures under § 80 SGB X and are required to observe strict purpose limitation. This must be regulated in the specifications and contract terms.

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