public tenders

A public tender is a formal process where public sector bodies invite suppliers to compete for the delivery of goods or services. This is a key part of how the public sector procures what it needs, and the process is designed to ensure effective use of taxpayer money through open competition.

How do public tenders work?

When a contracting authority (such as a municipality or a government agency) needs something, they are generally required to announce this publicly. This is done through a notice on Doffin, Norway's national database for public procurement.

A typical tender process follows these steps:

• The contracting authority prepares a tender document that describes:
  • What is to be purchased (requirements specification)
  • What requirements apply to the suppliers (qualification criteria)
  • How tenders will be evaluated (award criteria)
• Interested suppliers submit their bids before a given deadline.
• The contracting authority evaluates the bids and selects the best one based on the stated criteria.

When must a public tender be conducted?

This is determined by threshold values. For example, government authorities must follow more comprehensive rules when the procurement is worth more than NOK 1.49 million (as of 2024). For municipalities and county authorities, the national threshold is NOK 1.3 million.

Tools and support

There are several digital tools available to simplify the tendering process. For example, Cobrief offers a solution that helps suppliers find relevant tenders and streamline the work of responding to them.

Public tenders may seem complex, but at their core they are about ensuring fair competition and responsible use of public funds. With the right knowledge and tools, businesses of all sizes can succeed in winning public contracts.