design contest

A design contest is a procurement procedure where a contracting authority invites economic operators to submit a plan, concept, or design — and an independent jury selects the winner. The procedure is typically used in fields like architecture, urban planning, and engineering, where creative or technical solutions are needed.

How does a design contest work?

Design contests are governed by Articles 78–82 of Directive 2014/24/EU and can be organised in two ways: as an open contest where any interested operator may participate, or as a restricted contest following prequalification. In a restricted contest, at least three candidates must be invited to ensure genuine competition.

The defining feature of a design contest is anonymous jury evaluation. The jury assesses submissions solely on the criteria set out in the tender documents, without knowing the identity of the participants. Only natural persons may serve on the jury, and at least one-third must hold the same or equivalent professional qualifications as those required of the contestants.

Two types of design contests

The procedure can take two forms:

• Prize-only contest: The contracting authority awards prizes or payments to the winners, without concluding a subsequent contract.
• With a subsequent service contract: The winner may be awarded a service contract to implement the winning design without a new contract notice, under the negotiated procedure without prior publication (Article 32 of the Directive). Where there are multiple winners, all must be invited to submit tenders.

Design contests apply exclusively to services — not to supplies or works. The EU thresholds for design contests are EUR 140,000 for central government authorities and EUR 216,000 for sub-central authorities (2026–2027 period, excluding VAT).

When is a design contest used?

Design contests are well suited for situations where the contracting authority has limited knowledge of how a need can be met and wants creative input from the market. The procedure is closely related to competitive dialogue and is frequently used for innovative procurements. Participation can be resource-intensive for suppliers, so contracting authorities often offer compensation to all contestants who develop proposals. Tools like Cobrief help suppliers discover design contest notices early, giving them time to evaluate whether investing in a proposal is worthwhile.

A design contest is a specialised procedure that combines professional competition with anonymous evaluation. For contracting authorities, it unlocks the best ideas from the market, while suppliers compete on the quality of their creative solutions rather than on price alone.