NACE F – Construction | Public Tenders

NACE F: Construction in public tenders. Building, civil engineering, specialised trades — CPV codes, thresholds and contracting authorities for construction firms.

Definition: NACE Section F covers all construction activities — from building construction through civil engineering to specialised trade works. Construction is the largest section by volume in public procurement: Europe-wide, the largest share of the procurement volume is accounted for by works contracts under NACE F.

What does NACE F cover?

Division	Title	Brief description
41	Construction of buildings	Construction of residential and non-residential buildings, project development
42	Civil engineering	Road, rail, utility and other civil engineering works
43	Specialised construction activities	Demolition, electrical installation, plumbing, painting, floor laying

Public Tenders in Construction

Construction is the backbone of the public investment programme. Public contracting authorities — from municipalities to the EU — award billions of euros each year in works contracts for infrastructure, schools, hospitals, administrative buildings and transport facilities.

Typical Contract Types

Building construction: New build and refurbishment of public buildings (schools, town halls, hospitals, barracks)
Road construction: Construction and refurbishment of federal, regional and municipal roads and cycle paths
Rail construction: Track and platform works, switch renewal for ÖBB, DB InfraGO and urban rail
Bridge and tunnel construction: New build and refurbishment of transport structures
Pipe and cable laying: Water, wastewater, gas and electricity lines
Building refurbishment: Energy refurbishment of public properties (insulation, window replacement, heating renewal)
Specialised trades: Electrical installation, plumbing/HVAC, painting, drywall as separate lots

Thresholds

For works contracts, the EU threshold is EUR 5,538,000 (2024/2025). Below this value, national procurement rules apply. Austrian and German procurement orders provide for tiered procedures (direct award, negotiated procedure, restricted/open procedure).

Common CPV Codes

CPV Code	Title	Scope
45000000	Construction work	General works
45200000	Works for complete or part construction and civil engineering work	Building and infrastructure works
45210000	Building construction work	Building new build and refurbishment
45230000	Construction work for pipelines, communication and power lines, for highways, roads, airfields and railways	Roads, lines, infrastructure
45300000	Building installation work	Electrical, plumbing, HVAC
45400000	Building completion work	Painting, flooring, façades

Contracting Authorities

Federal and regional governments: New build and refurbishment of federal buildings, barracks, state authorities (BIG, BIMA)
Municipalities: Schools, kindergartens, sports facilities, municipal roads, sewerage
Highway authorities: ASFINAG, Deutsche Autobahn GmbH, regional road agencies
Railway infrastructure operators: ÖBB-Infrastruktur AG, DB InfraGO AG (utility contracting entities)
Hospital owners: New build and refurbishment of hospitals
Housing companies: Public housing companies subject to procurement obligations

FAQ

What tenders are available for small construction firms? Contracting authorities are obliged under § 97 GWB (D) and § 76 BVergG (A) to divide contracts into specialised and partial lots, where this is economically sensible. Smaller companies may bid for individual trades or form bidding consortia. National tenders below the EU thresholds are common at regional and municipal level.

How long does a typical EU-wide procurement procedure take in construction? Under the open procedure, the minimum period for bids is 35 days from publication (reduced to 15 days where electronic submission and a prior information notice are used). Including prior information, bid period and award, a procedure typically takes 3–6 months.

What applies to the award of works to bidding consortia? Bidding consortia are generally admissible and allow several firms to participate jointly in tenders. All members must satisfy the exclusion grounds; eligibility criteria may be demonstrated on a cumulative basis.

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