eForms

eForms is the standardized electronic format for publishing public procurement notices in the European Union, mandatory since October 25, 2023. Established by Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/1780, eForms replaced the legacy TED Standard Forms with a modern, XML-based, machine-readable format that enables richer data capture, multilingual publication, and seamless interoperability across all EU Member States.

How It Works

eForms operates as a structured data standard that defines exactly which information must (or may) be included in every public procurement notice published to TED (Tenders Electronic Daily), the EU's central procurement publication platform. Rather than filling out static PDF forms, contracting authorities now submit structured XML documents that conform to the eForms specification.

At the core of the eForms architecture is the concept of Business Terms (BTs). Each discrete piece of information in a procurement notice is identified by a unique BT code. For example, BT-21 identifies the lot title, BT-27 captures the estimated value, BT-105 specifies the procedure type, and BT-131 records the tender submission deadline. There are over 300 Business Terms covering every aspect of a procurement notice, from the contracting authority's details to the award criteria and the winning economic operator's identity.

The eForms SDK (Software Development Kit) provides the technical foundation that developers and e-procurement platforms need to implement the standard. The SDK includes XML schemas (XSD) that define the valid document structure, Schematron validation rules that enforce business logic, code lists for standardized values (such as CPV codes, country codes, and procedure types), and field mapping documentation that explains how each Business Term relates to the XML structure.

eForms supports multiple notice types organized by subtypes. A contract notice uses subtypes like cn-standard, cn-social, or cn-desg (design contest). A contract award notice uses can-standard, can-social, or can-modif (modification). Prior information notices, voluntary ex ante transparency notices, and other categories each have their own subtypes. This taxonomy ensures that the correct fields are required or optional depending on the notice type.

A key advantage of eForms over the legacy system is its support for national tailoring. While the core specification is uniform across the EU, Member States can define additional mandatory or optional fields to accommodate national procurement law requirements. Germany and France, for example, have each published national eForms configurations that extend the base specification with country-specific data fields.

Legal Framework

The legal foundation for eForms is Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/1780, which establishes the standard forms for the publication of notices in the field of public procurement. This regulation was adopted under the authority of the procurement directives, particularly Directive 2014/24/EU (public sector procurement), Directive 2014/25/EU (utilities procurement), and Directive 2014/23/EU (concessions).

The mandatory adoption date of October 25, 2023 was set by Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2022/2303, which amended the original regulation. From this date, all notices published on TED must use the eForms format. The legacy Standard Forms (used since the 2004 procurement directives) are no longer accepted.

Article 51 of Directive 2014/24/EU requires that contract notices and contract award notices be drawn up in conformity with the standard forms and transmitted electronically to the Publications Office of the EU for publication on TED. The eForms regulation specifies exactly what those standard forms look like in the digital age.

National implementation varies across Member States. Some countries, such as the Netherlands, transitioned smoothly by updating their national e-procurement platforms well before the deadline. Others required transitional periods to adapt their national systems. The European Commission's eForms helpdesk and SDK documentation provide ongoing guidance to national authorities and platform developers.

Practical Examples

Example 1: Publishing an Open Procedure. A Dutch municipality wants to procure waste management services. Their e-procurement platform generates an eForms XML document with subtype cn-standard. The document contains BT-105 (Procedure Type) set to "open," BT-26 (CPV Code) set to "90500000" (refuse-related services), BT-27 (Estimated Value) with the contract value, and BT-131 (Submission Deadline) with the tender closing date. The platform validates the XML against the eForms SDK schemas and transmits it to TED for publication. Within hours, the notice is searchable by suppliers across the EU.

Example 2: Announcing a Contract Award. After completing a restricted procedure for a complex IT transformation project, a federal agency publishes a contract award notice using eForms subtype can-standard. The notice includes BT-142 (Winner Chosen), BT-500 (Organization details for the winning supplier), BT-709 (Contract Value), and BT-1451 (Award Decision Date). This structured data enables automated analysis of award patterns and supplier performance across the EU.

Example 3: Multi-Lot Framework Agreement. A central purchasing body establishes a framework agreement for office supplies divided into five lots. The eForms notice contains a top-level procedure section plus five lot sections, each with its own CPV codes, estimated values, and award criteria. The structured format ensures that lot-level details are machine-readable and searchable independently, allowing specialized suppliers to identify the specific lots relevant to their product range.

Key Considerations for Suppliers

For suppliers monitoring public procurement opportunities, understanding eForms is essential for effective opportunity discovery and intelligence gathering.

Leverage structured data for precision searching. Because eForms encodes every notice field with a specific Business Term, procurement intelligence platforms like Duke can offer granular search and filtering capabilities. Instead of relying on keyword searches through unstructured text, you can filter by CPV code, procedure type, estimated value range, geographic scope, and submission deadline simultaneously.

Understand notice subtypes. Not all notices represent the same stage in a procurement lifecycle. A cn-standard notice is a call for competition, while a can-standard announces an award. A pin-only (prior information notice) signals upcoming opportunities before the formal competition begins. Knowing these subtypes helps you prioritize your pipeline and respond at the right moment.

Monitor BT-131 (Submission Deadline) carefully. eForms standardizes how deadlines are expressed, including time zone information. This eliminates the ambiguity that sometimes existed with legacy forms. Always verify the exact deadline, including the time component, as some authorities set deadlines at midnight while others close at noon.

Track modifications and corrections. eForms supports notice modifications through specific subtypes like can-modif for contract modifications. Corrigenda (corrections to previously published notices) are also published in eForms format, and they may change crucial details like deadlines, CPV codes, or evaluation criteria. Setting up alerts for modifications to notices you are tracking is essential.

Prepare for national variations. While eForms provides a common EU framework, national e-procurement platforms may display or require information differently. Some national platforms add fields beyond the core eForms specification. Familiarize yourself with the specific requirements of the countries where you bid most frequently.

CPV (Common Procurement Vocabulary) — The classification system encoded within eForms through Business Terms BT-26 and BT-262, used to categorize the subject matter of every procurement notice.
Contract Notice — One of the primary notice types published in eForms format, serving as the formal call for competition.
Contract Award Notice — The results notice published in eForms format, disclosing winners and contract values.
Procedure — The procurement process described in eForms notices, with its type encoded in BT-105.
Award Criteria — Encoded in eForms through BT-539 (criterion type), BT-540 (description), and BT-541 (weighting).

Frequently Asked Questions

When did eForms become mandatory?

eForms became mandatory on October 25, 2023, for all procurement notices published on TED (Tenders Electronic Daily). From this date, the legacy Standard Forms are no longer accepted. All contracting authorities across the EU must submit notices in the eForms XML format, either directly or through their national e-procurement platforms.

What is the eForms SDK?

The eForms SDK (Software Development Kit) is a technical package published by the European Commission's Publications Office that provides all the tools needed to implement the eForms standard. It includes XML schemas (XSD) defining valid document structures, Schematron rules for business logic validation, official code lists, and comprehensive documentation mapping Business Terms to XML elements. The SDK is versioned and updated regularly to address corrections and evolving requirements.

Do all EU countries use the same eForms version?

All EU countries use the same core eForms specification, but the regulation allows for national tailoring. Each Member State can define which optional fields are mandatory at the national level, and some add country-specific extensions. The eForms SDK supports these national configurations through customization layers that overlay the base specification. As a result, a notice from Germany may contain fields not present in a Dutch notice, but both conform to the same underlying eForms structure.