Step 1: Where to Find Public Procurement Tenders
Public buyers publish notices of calls for competition (Contract Notices – CN) for the contracts they intend to award. The publication channels vary depending on the value of the contract. It is therefore important to regularly consult the Official Journal of the European Union (OJEU), the Official Bulletin of Public Procurement Notices (BOAMP), legal notice newspapers (the list of which is available at each prefecture), as well as specialized press outlets.
Public buyers also have their own websites, known as buyer profiles, where they publish their notices. The State has set up an electronic platform for public procurement procedures, allowing companies to view and respond to tenders issued by State services (central administration and decentralized services), public institutions, chambers of commerce and industry, and the Union of Public Purchasing Groups (UGAP). This platform, called PLACE, is accessible at: www.marches-publics.gouv.fr
On most of these websites, it is possible to set up alerts to be informed of notices matching the company’s sector of activity and location.
Step 2: Analyzing the Notices
After reading the contract notice, the company decides whether to continue with the process. The notice provides essential information about the contract: the identity of the public buyer, the subject of the contract, the quantities or volumes involved where applicable, the type of procedure, the geographical area, and the deadline for submitting applications and bids.
If the company wishes to respond to the notice or obtain further information, it must obtain the Tender Documents (DCE – Business Consultation File) from the public buyer. In restricted procedures, the DCE is only accessible after submission of the application and acceptance by the public buyer.
The DCE contains all documents defining the subject, characteristics, and execution conditions of the contract. It includes in particular:
the consultation rules, which set out the award procedure;
the contractual documents governing contract execution (commitment deed, technical proposal, price schedule, special administrative conditions document – CCAP – and, where applicable, the special technical conditions document – CCTP).
For low-value contracts, the DCE is often limited to a specification document or a special conditions document (CCP).
Step 3: Preparing the Application and the Bid
The company must prepare its application and bid in accordance with the conditions set out in the contract notice or the consultation rules. It is essential to provide all required documents and ensure they are properly signed by a person authorized to represent the company; otherwise, the bid may be rejected.
In restricted procedures, the company first submits its application and, if selected, then submits its bid.
In open procedures, the application and the bid are submitted at the same time.
The application file contains documents enabling the buyer to assess the company’s ability to perform the contract, such as:
a sworn statement confirming that the company is not prohibited from participating in public contracts;
documents demonstrating its professional, technical, and financial capacities (number of employees, turnover, references, etc.).
The company also prepares a bid explaining how and at what price it intends to perform the contract, highlighting the criteria used by the buyer to determine the most economically advantageous offer (price, execution time, maintenance, etc.). For example, if the execution time is a criterion, the company may emphasize its geographical proximity to demonstrate responsiveness.
Step 4: Submitting the Application and the Bid
It is essential to respect the deadline date and time for submitting applications and bids; failure to do so will result in rejection. The file may be submitted:
in person, against a receipt;
electronically;
by registered mail with acknowledgment of receipt (the date of receipt is decisive, not the date of sending).
In the case of paper submission, postal delivery times must be taken into account.
January 26, 2026 - BY Admin