Introduction
Switzerland spends over CHF 40 billion annually on public procurement. That makes it one of the most significant government markets in Europe, per capita the largest. But it operates under its own rules. Switzerland is not in the EU. It does not follow EU procurement directives. Its tenders do not appear on TED.
For EU suppliers, this creates a blind spot. Your existing TED monitoring misses the Swiss market entirely. For Swiss suppliers, the challenge is different: 26 cantons, four official languages, and a patchwork of federal and cantonal procurement rules.
This guide covers the legal framework, the portals, the thresholds, and the practical steps to find and win Swiss government contracts in 2026.
The Swiss Procurement Legal Framework
Swiss procurement law operates on two distinct levels: federal and cantonal. Understanding this split is essential.
Federal Level: The BoeB
The Bundesgesetz ueber das oeffentliche Beschaffungswesen (BoeB) — or Loi federale sur les marches publics (LMP) in French — is the Federal Act on Public Procurement. The current version entered into force on 1 January 2021, replacing the 1994 act. It governs procurement by the Swiss Confederation, its departments, agencies, and federal enterprises.
The BoeB aligns with Switzerland's obligations under the WTO Agreement on Government Procurement (GPA). It applies to all federal procurement above the GPA thresholds and establishes the procedural rules, transparency requirements, and legal remedies for bidders.
The implementing ordinance, the Verordnung ueber das oeffentliche Beschaffungswesen (VoeB), provides the detailed procedural rules. Together, BoeB and VoeB form the complete federal procurement framework.
Cantonal Level: The IVoeB
Switzerland's 26 cantons are sovereign entities with their own procurement legislation. To harmonize rules across cantons, the Interkantonale Vereinbarung ueber das oeffentliche Beschaffungswesen (IVoeB) — the Intercantonal Agreement on Public Procurement — was developed. The revised IVoeB 2019, which mirrors many provisions of the new BoeB, has been adopted by most cantons.
Each canton implements the IVoeB through its own cantonal legislation. This means that while the core principles are consistent, specific thresholds, procedures, and requirements can vary from canton to canton. Zurich's procurement rules differ from Geneva's, which differ from Ticino's.
Municipalities procure under the rules of their canton. A municipality in Bern follows Bernese procurement law. One in Vaud follows Vaudois rules.
The WTO GPA: International Market Access
Switzerland has been a signatory to the WTO GPA since 1996. The GPA is the mechanism that opens Swiss procurement to international competition — and reciprocally opens GPA-party markets to Swiss suppliers.
The GPA currently has 48 parties, covering all EU member states, the United States, Canada, Japan, South Korea, and others. For suppliers from GPA countries, Swiss procurement above the GPA thresholds must be open, transparent, and non-discriminatory.
This matters because Switzerland is not part of the EU single market. Without the GPA, there would be no legal basis for EU suppliers to access Swiss public contracts.
Key Portals: Where to Find Swiss Tenders
simap.ch — The Central Portal
simap.ch (Informationssystem ueber das oeffentliche Beschaffungswesen) is Switzerland's national procurement portal. It is the single most important platform for Swiss government contracts.
simap.ch publishes tenders from the federal government, all 26 cantons, and most municipalities. It is operated by the Federal Office for Buildings and Logistics (BBL) and is available in German, French, and Italian. Key features:
- Mandatory publication for all federal tenders above GPA thresholds
- Voluntary publication for cantonal and municipal tenders (though most cantons require it)
- Free access to search and download tender documents
- Alert system for email notifications by keyword, CPV code, or region
- Archive of past tenders and award notices
In 2025, simap.ch listed approximately 12,000 new procurement notices. The platform carries everything from multi-billion-franc rail infrastructure projects to municipal office supply contracts.
Cantonal Portals
While simap.ch covers the majority of Swiss procurement, some cantons maintain their own portals for below-threshold or cantonal-specific tenders:
Canton of Zurich publishes certain tenders through its own cantonal procurement office (Fachstelle Beschaffungswesen). Zurich accounts for roughly 18% of Swiss GDP and generates proportional procurement volume.
Canton of Geneva maintains procurement pages through the Etat de Geneve, reflecting Geneva's distinct French-speaking administrative tradition.
Canton of Bern, as the seat of the federal government, publishes both cantonal and occasionally municipal tenders through its own channels in addition to simap.ch.
Canton of Ticino handles Italian-language procurement through the Divisione delle risorse, serving the Italian-speaking region.
For most practical purposes, simap.ch is sufficient. But for comprehensive coverage of below-threshold opportunities, checking the cantonal portals of your target cantons adds value.
No TED Coverage
This bears repeating: Swiss tenders do not appear on TED. TED covers the EU, EEA (Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein), and certain associated countries — but not Switzerland. If your procurement monitoring relies exclusively on TED, you are missing the entire Swiss market.
Procurement Thresholds
Switzerland uses two threshold systems: one for federal procurement (aligned with GPA) and one for cantonal procurement (set by the IVoeB and cantonal law).
Federal Thresholds (BoeB/GPA)
| Category | Threshold (CHF) |
|---|---|
| Goods and services — central government | 230,000 |
| Goods and services — sub-central entities | 700,000 |
| Construction works | 8,700,000 |
| Services under Annex 2 (social, health, education) | 700,000 |
Above these values, the full BoeB procedure applies: mandatory publication on simap.ch, formal procedure types, minimum timescales, and access for all GPA-party suppliers.
Cantonal Thresholds (IVoeB)
| Category | Threshold (CHF) |
|---|---|
| Goods and services — open/selective procedure | 150,000 |
| Goods and services — invitation procedure | 50,000 |
| Construction works — open/selective procedure | 300,000 |
| Construction works — invitation procedure | 150,000 |
Below the invitation-procedure thresholds, contracting authorities may use a direct award (Freihändige Vergabe) with minimal procedural requirements.
Individual cantons may set lower thresholds. Zurich, for example, requires competitive procedures for goods contracts starting at CHF 150,000. Some smaller cantons set thresholds as low as CHF 100,000 for services.
Procedure Types
Swiss procurement uses four main procedure types, broadly parallel to EU procedures:
- Offenes Verfahren (Open Procedure) — Any supplier may submit a tender. Used above thresholds for straightforward contracts.
- Selektives Verfahren (Selective Procedure) — Two stages: prequalification, then invitation to tender. Used for complex or high-value contracts.
- Einladungsverfahren (Invitation Procedure) — The authority invites at least three suppliers to bid. Used below the open/selective thresholds.
- Freihaendige Vergabe (Direct Award) — Single-source award below minimum thresholds or in exceptional circumstances.
Language Considerations
Switzerland has four official languages: German, French, Italian, and Romansh. Procurement reflects this linguistic reality.
German dominates. Roughly 63% of the Swiss population speaks German, and the majority of federal agencies operate primarily in German. The German-speaking cantons (Zurich, Bern, Lucerne, St. Gallen, Aargau, Basel, and others) account for the largest share of procurement volume.
French is the second language of procurement. The Romandie cantons (Geneva, Vaud, Neuchatel, Fribourg, Jura, Valais) generate significant procurement, particularly in healthcare, infrastructure, and services. Geneva alone, as host to major international organizations, has a distinctive procurement profile.
Italian covers Ticino and parts of Graubuenden. Procurement volume is smaller but not negligible — Ticino has a GDP of approximately CHF 30 billion and runs its own cantonal procurement.
Romansh is spoken by fewer than 1% of the population. You will not encounter Romansh tender documents in practice.
Federal tenders on simap.ch are typically published in at least German, French, and Italian. The tender language determines the submission language. If a tender is published in French, your bid must be in French.
For practical purposes, monitoring Swiss procurement requires reading German and French at minimum. Italian is a bonus for Ticino coverage.
How EU Suppliers Can Access Swiss Procurement
The path into Swiss procurement for EU suppliers runs through the GPA and bilateral agreements.
Legal Basis
The WTO GPA guarantees EU suppliers the right to bid on Swiss public contracts above GPA thresholds. Switzerland must treat GPA-party suppliers no less favorably than domestic bidders. This covers:
- Equal access to tender documents
- Same qualification criteria
- Non-discriminatory evaluation
- Access to legal remedies
The Bilateral Agreement on Certain Aspects of Government Procurement between Switzerland and the EU, signed in 1999, supplements the GPA with additional market access commitments, particularly for municipalities and certain utilities.
Practical Steps for EU Suppliers
Register on simap.ch. The platform is free. Registration gives you access to full tender documents and email alerts. The interface is available in German, French, and Italian.
Understand that ESPD does not apply. Switzerland is outside the EU, so the European Single Procurement Document has no legal standing. Swiss contracting authorities use their own qualification forms. Be prepared to provide Swiss-specific self-declarations and certifications.
Check mutual recognition of standards. Switzerland has bilateral agreements with the EU on mutual recognition of conformity assessments. Many EU certifications (CE marking, ISO standards) are recognized in Switzerland. But not all — verify on a case-by-case basis.
Consider VAT implications. Switzerland applies its own VAT system (currently 8.1% standard rate). EU suppliers must register for Swiss VAT if they supply goods or services into Switzerland above the CHF 100,000 annual threshold.
Plan for customs. Switzerland is not in the EU customs union. Goods crossing the border are subject to Swiss customs procedures. Factor this into pricing and delivery timelines.
Local partnerships help. A Swiss partner or local representative can navigate language barriers, administrative customs, and provide the local presence that many contracting authorities value informally.
Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
Mistake 1: Assuming TED covers Switzerland. It does not. Swiss tenders are on simap.ch. If TED is your only monitoring source, you are seeing zero Swiss opportunities.
Mistake 2: Ignoring cantonal procurement. Federal procurement is the most visible, but cantons and municipalities collectively spend more than the Confederation. A strategy focused only on federal tenders misses roughly 60% of the market.
Mistake 3: Submitting in the wrong language. A German-language bid on a French-language tender will be rejected. Check the publication language and submit accordingly. For federal tenders published in multiple languages, the authority specifies which language(s) are acceptable for submissions.
Mistake 4: Applying EU procurement assumptions. The ESPD, EU thresholds, and EU procedure names do not apply in Switzerland. The BoeB has its own threshold values, its own procedure types, and its own remedies framework. Study the BoeB, not the EU directives.
Mistake 5: Underestimating timelines. Swiss procurement is methodical. Federal open procedures typically allow 40 days for tender submission (minimum 20 days under the BoeB). Plan your calendar accordingly. Late submissions are rejected — no exceptions.
Mistake 6: Neglecting the standstill period. The BoeB requires a 20-day standstill period between the award decision and contract signature (compared to 10 days under EU rules). Unsuccessful bidders can file a complaint with the Federal Administrative Court during this window.
Step-by-Step: Finding Your First Swiss Contract
Step 1: Map your sectors to Swiss CPV codes. simap.ch uses CPV codes to classify tenders. Identify the codes that match your products or services. Swiss procurement also uses its own category codes on simap.ch — familiarize yourself with both systems.
Step 2: Register on simap.ch. Create a free account. Set up email alerts by CPV code, canton, and contract type. The platform is straightforward but not sophisticated — your alerts will need regular refinement.
Step 3: Target your cantons. Switzerland has 26 cantons with uneven procurement volumes. Zurich, Bern, Vaud, and Geneva generate the highest volumes. If your product or service has a geographic component, focus on the cantons where demand aligns.
Step 4: Review upcoming procurement plans. Some federal agencies and larger cantons publish annual procurement plans. These give you early visibility into forthcoming tenders, allowing you to prepare before the formal notice appears.
Step 5: Download and study tender documents. Swiss tender documents (Ausschreibungsunterlagen) include technical specifications, qualification requirements, evaluation criteria, and submission instructions. Read everything. Swiss authorities are precise about formal requirements.
Step 6: Attend information sessions. For larger tenders, contracting authorities often hold Informationsveranstaltungen (information sessions). These are valuable for understanding the authority's needs, asking questions, and gauging the competition. Attendance is typically not mandatory but strongly recommended.
Step 7: Submit electronically via simap.ch. Swiss procurement has increasingly moved to electronic submission. Ensure you can navigate the simap.ch submission interface well before your first deadline.
How Duke Helps
Duke consolidates procurement data from 30+ countries — over 61.5 million records globally — into a single intelligence platform. For Switzerland, this means you no longer need to manually navigate simap.ch in three languages while simultaneously monitoring your target markets in the EU.
Duke normalizes Swiss tenders alongside German, French, Austrian, and other European opportunities. Same interface. Same data format. Same alert system. You define your scope by CPV code, geography, contract value, or buyer type, and Duke delivers matching Swiss opportunities in real time.
For EU suppliers already using Duke to monitor TED and national platforms, adding Switzerland fills the gap that TED misses. For Swiss suppliers, Duke provides visibility into the EU markets that represent natural expansion targets — particularly Germany, France, and Austria.
Conclusion
Switzerland is a high-value procurement market that operates independently from the EU framework. CHF 40 billion in annual spend, a stable legal environment under the BoeB, and GPA-guaranteed access for international suppliers make it attractive. But the four-language reality, the federal-cantonal split, and the absence from TED mean that finding Swiss contracts requires deliberate effort.
Start with simap.ch. Learn the BoeB thresholds and procedures. Target your cantons by language and sector. And recognize that Switzerland rewards suppliers who respect its particular way of doing things: precise, multilingual, and methodical.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Switzerland part of EU procurement rules?
No. Switzerland is not an EU or EEA member and does not transpose EU procurement directives. Swiss procurement is governed by the Federal Act on Public Procurement (BoeB) at the federal level, and by cantonal concordats (IVoeB) at the sub-federal level. However, Switzerland is a signatory to the WTO Agreement on Government Procurement (GPA), which grants reciprocal market access to suppliers from all 48 GPA parties, including all EU member states.
What languages do I need to bid in Switzerland?
Switzerland has four official languages: German, French, Italian, and Romansh. Federal tenders on simap.ch are typically published in German, French, and Italian. Cantonal tenders appear in the official language of the canton. Submissions must generally be in the language of the tender notice. German-speaking cantons account for roughly 63% of the population and a corresponding share of procurement volume.
What are the procurement thresholds in Switzerland?
Federal thresholds under the BoeB align with WTO GPA levels: CHF 230,000 for goods and services (central government), CHF 700,000 for sub-central entities, and CHF 8,700,000 for construction works. Cantonal thresholds under the IVoeB are generally lower: CHF 150,000 for goods and services and CHF 300,000 for construction in most cantons. Below these values, simplified or invitation-only procedures apply.
Can EU companies bid on Swiss government contracts?
Yes. Under the WTO GPA, suppliers from EU member states have the right to bid on Swiss public contracts above the GPA thresholds on equal terms with Swiss companies. Switzerland also has bilateral agreements with the EU that support mutual market access. However, Switzerland is not part of the EU single market, so EU-specific mechanisms like the ESPD are not automatically accepted.
How does simap.ch compare to TED?
simap.ch is Switzerland's national procurement portal and the primary publication platform for all federal and most cantonal tenders. TED (Tenders Electronic Daily) covers EU and EEA procurement. Because Switzerland is not in the EU, Swiss tenders do not appear on TED. Suppliers targeting Switzerland must monitor simap.ch directly or use an aggregation tool like Duke that consolidates procurement data from 30+ countries.
Related Resources
- Find Government Contracts in Germany: 2026 Guide — Germany is Switzerland's largest trading partner and the natural comparison market
- Find Government Contracts in France: 2026 Guide — essential reading for suppliers targeting the French-speaking Swiss cantons
- Find Government Contracts in Austria: 2026 Guide — another DACH-region market with similar procurement culture
- EU Procurement Thresholds — understand how EU thresholds compare to Swiss GPA thresholds
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