New Norwegian procurement rules from July 1, 2026: What is changing

On July 1, 2026, a number of important amendments to the Norwegian Procurement Act (anskaffelsesloven) enter into force. The overall framework is not turned upside down, but in our conversations with suppliers we see that many are unsure of what the changes actually mean. Below is a walkthrough of the main points, based on the Norwegian Parliament's (Stortinget) decision of February 5, 2026, and the guidance work of the Norwegian Agency for Public and Financial Management (DFØ).

The threshold rises from NOK 100,000 to NOK 500,000

The change that will be felt fastest is that the threshold for when the Procurement Act applies in Norway increases from NOK 100,000 to NOK 500,000 excluding VAT (roughly EUR 43,000). The same level has been written into the procurement regulation. Procurements below this amount fall outside the Act, and Norwegian contracting authorities are far freer to enter into small contracts directly. In addition, Stortinget has asked the government to come back with a model for adjusting the threshold every three years, for example to account for inflation. That is for now a parliamentary request, not an automatic mechanism in the law.

For suppliers this means that Norwegian public buyers gain more room for direct purchases at the lower end. It is not a free-for-all, contracting authorities must still act in a businesslike manner, but the formal announcement requirement and the detailed procedural rules fall away below the NOK 500,000 mark.

Sustainability is written into the purpose clause

Sustainability is lifted into § 1 of the Act, and it is clarified that efficiency must not come at the expense of decent working conditions or other ethical and social requirements. Environmental sustainability means that the procurement's impact on climate and the environment shall be responsible. The change is primarily a signal, but the purpose clause is actively used when the rules are interpreted, and will therefore affect how disputes and complaints are assessed going forward.

The 30 percent climate and environmental weighting moves into the Act

The main rule that climate and environmental considerations shall be weighted by at least 30 percent is carried forward in substance, but moved from the regulation up into the Act itself (new § 5 b). The duty applies from the Act's threshold, that is, from NOK 500,000. This means climate and environmental criteria remain a central competitive factor in Norway, and suppliers who have done their homework on documented environmental measures will still have a real edge.

Security and preparedness get an explicit legal basis

Security and preparedness considerations are taken into the purpose clause, and a new § 5 d gives contracting authorities an explicit legal basis to set such requirements in all phases of a procurement. The provision applies to all procurements covered by the Act, not only those that fall under the Norwegian Security Act.

In practice, this can mean stricter qualification requirements on suppliers' competence in security, award criteria that reward good preparedness, and contract terms on, for example, supply security or local presence where it is objectively justified. Suppliers in sectors such as healthcare, energy, ICT and supply will want to follow this closely.

The Norwegian Model is consolidated in the Act

The requirements from the Norwegian Model (Norgesmodellen), among other things on wage and working conditions and the use of apprentices, are codified and gathered into the Procurement Act itself. The substance is largely the same as today, but the rules become easier to find and more uniformly enforced. In addition, contracting authorities are now required to apply sanctions for breaches of contract terms on social considerations, so there are real consequences for not following up wage, working condition and apprentice requirements. Subcontracting, documentation requirements and the apprentice obligation remain relevant topics in the bid phase.

Innovation and a written procurement strategy

New provisions highlight the contracting authority's room to promote innovation through its procurements. In addition, contracting authorities are required to have a written procurement strategy with fixed routines for how societal considerations shall be addressed, and the strategy shall be publicly available. For suppliers this is a concrete advantage: you can read what a contracting authority actually prioritises before deciding whether to bid, and use it actively in your offer.

What does not enter into force on July 1

The one major change that does not enter into force on July 1, 2026, is the repeal of § 4 on the fundamental principles for nationally regulated procurements. That is postponed pending a new, simplified national framework for procurements below the EEA thresholds. When the simplified framework arrives, it will be the next major milestone for public procurement in Norway. DFØ is already working on guidance for these changes.

What does it mean for you as a bidder?

For most suppliers the headline is that the basic rules of the game stay the same in Norway. Competitions below NOK 500,000 disappear from the formal regulatory framework, but there is no reason to expect Norwegian buyers to stop comparing offers in that segment. Climate and environment are weighted as before, the Norwegian Model is still there, and security and preparedness get more attention than before.

DFØ has signalled that updated regulatory guidance arrives in May and practice-oriented guidance in June, so more detail is on the way before the rules take effect. At Cobrief we are following the work closely and updating both our glossary and the product as the new framework is put into practice. If you have questions about what the changes mean for specific Norwegian competitions, please reach out.