Public procurement in Belgium: complete guide
Understanding public procurement to win more contracts. A sector representing over 50 billion euros per year in Belgium.
What is public procurement?
A public contract is an agreement concluded between a contracting authority (State, Regions, municipalities, intermunicipal bodies, public organisations) and an economic operator (company, self-employed) for works, supplies or services. In Belgium, this sector is governed by the law of 17 June 2016 on public procurement and its royal implementing decrees.
Public procurement represents a considerable opportunity for tenderers of all sizes. With over 50 billion euros spent each year by Belgian public authorities, it is an essential growth lever. The award procedures guarantee transparency and equal treatment among candidates.
The three types of public contracts
Works contracts
Construction, renovation, infrastructure, civil engineering. Everything related to the execution of building or civil engineering works. Classified according to the required contractor accreditations.
Supply contracts
Purchase, rental, leasing of products. From IT equipment to office supplies, including medical equipment. Identified by specific CPV codes.
Service contracts
Consulting, IT, cleaning, maintenance, studies, training. Any intellectual or technical service for the benefit of a contracting authority.
Main award procedures
Open procedure
Any interested economic operator may submit a tender. This is the most transparent and common procedure for contracts above European thresholds. Mandatory publication in the Bulletin des Adjudications and on TED.
Restricted procedure
Takes place in two phases: candidate selection, then sending the specifications to selected candidates. Allows the contracting authority to limit the number of tenders to evaluate.
Negotiated procedure
The contracting authority may negotiate the terms of the contract with the tenderers. Used in specific cases defined by law, particularly below European thresholds.
Competitive procedure with negotiation
A combination of competitive tendering and the possibility of negotiation. Increasingly used for complex contracts requiring dialogue between the contracting authority and the tenderers.
European public procurement thresholds
The thresholds determine from which amount a contract must be published at European level on TED (Tenders Electronic Daily). They are revised every two years by the European Commission.
| Contract type | Threshold (excl. VAT) |
|---|---|
| Works contracts | 5,538,000 € |
| Supplies & services (central authorities) | 143,000 € |
| Supplies & services (other contracting authorities) | 221,000 € |
| Social and specific services | 750,000 € |
Thresholds in force for the 2024-2025 period, revised by the European Commission.
The Bulletin des Adjudications
The Bulletin des Adjudications is the official Belgian journal for publishing public contracts. All Belgian contracting authorities are required to publish their contract notices above certain thresholds. It is accessible via the federal government's e-Procurement platform.
It contains contract notices (calls for tenders), award notices (results), corrigenda as well as concession notices. Each publication contains essential information: subject of the contract, CPV codes, contracting authority, submission deadline and award criteria.
GPC Gov automatically centralises all publications from the Bulletin des Adjudications and filters them according to your business profile, to send you only the relevant contracts.
e-Procurement and TED
e-Procurement (Belgium)
The e-Procurement platform is the official Belgian portal for electronic public procurement management. It allows contracting authorities to publish their notices and tenderers to consult opportunities, download specifications and submit their offers online.
TED - Tenders Electronic Daily
TED (Tenders Electronic Daily) is the supplement to the Official Journal of the European Union dedicated to European public procurement. All contracts exceeding European thresholds are published there, offering international visibility to Belgian tenders.
Don't let opportunities pass you by
GPC Gov continuously monitors the Bulletin des Adjudications, e-Procurement and TED to deliver only the public contracts that matter for your business.