What is
tender data
Also known as: procurement data, public procurement data
Tender data is the structured information generated throughout public procurement processes. It covers everything from contract notices and procurement documents to submitted bids, award decisions, and contract values. This data provides insight into what the public sector buys, from whom, and at what price.
How does tender data work?
When a contracting authority runs a procurement, data is produced at every stage: planning, publication, receipt of tenders, evaluation, and contract conclusion. In the EU, above-threshold notices are published on TED (Tenders Electronic Daily), while national portals handle domestic publications. Additional data, such as submitted bids and evaluation results, often remains locked inside e-procurement platforms.
The EU's Public Procurement Data Space (PPDS), launched in September 2024, aims to connect TED data with national procurement datasets, creating a unified data infrastructure for public procurement across Europe.
Why is tender data important?
- Transparency and accountability: Open procurement data enables analysis of public spending, helps detect irregularities, and strengthens oversight of how award criteria and policy requirements are applied.
- Better competition: When data is freely available, more suppliers can identify relevant opportunities, increasing competition and driving better value for money.
- Data-driven policy: Aggregated tender data reveals spending patterns and market concentration, allowing governments to refine their procurement strategies.
- Market intelligence: For businesses, historical tender data provides insight into upcoming needs and buying patterns across the public sector.
Tools like Cobrief aggregate and structure tender data from multiple sources, making it easier for suppliers to find relevant competitions and monitor the market.
The push for open tender data
The Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS), endorsed by the G7 and G20, is the leading international standard for publishing structured procurement data. In the EU, initiatives like eForms and the PPDS are improving data quality, but below-threshold procurement data remains patchy across member states.
Open tender data is a prerequisite for genuine transparency in public procurement. When information is accessible and machine-readable, governments, businesses, and civil society can all contribute to better use of public funds.