German public procurement

Germany's federal structure means procurement is decentralized across 16 Bundesländer (states), each operating their own eProcurement platforms. Above EU thresholds, tenders also appear on TED — but below-threshold contracts (often the majority) are only on regional portals. This creates a uniquely fragmented market where monitoring a single portal gives you only a fraction of the picture.

Duke is the only platform that connects all 14 active German Vergabe platforms into a single, normalized feed. Each tender is parsed into our unified data model with CPV codes, buyer details, lot breakdowns, and geographic targeting — regardless of which portal it was published on. Combined with TED's 474K+ above-threshold procedures, this gives you the most complete view of German public procurement available anywhere. For a practical guide on navigating this complex market, read our Germany procurement market guide.

German procurement law is governed by the GWB (Gesetz gegen Wettbewerbsbeschränkungen, Part 4) for above-threshold tenders and the VOB/A, UVgO, and VSVgV for below-threshold and sector-specific contracts. Each Bundesland may also apply supplementary regulations. The open procedure (offenes Verfahren) is the most common route, but restricted procedures, competitive dialogue, and innovation partnerships are used for complex acquisitions. All above-threshold tenders are published on TED using eForms.

Below EU thresholds, tenders are published on the relevant Bundesland's Vergabe portal. Some states (NRW, Bavaria, Hesse) have well-developed platforms with APIs; others rely on simpler publication systems. Framework agreements (Rahmenvereinbarungen) are widely used by central purchasing bodies like the Beschaffungsamt des BMI. Understanding which portal serves which region — and which institution uses which platform — is essential for comprehensive market coverage. See how Duke compares to DACH-focused platforms on our Duke vs DTAD comparison.