Public contracts - Sweden

Updated 11/2010

Legal requirements

Public procurement means that an authority or other public enterprise makes large purchases in an organised manner.

Such public purchases are regulated by the Public Procurement Act.

Public Procurement Act
More on public procurement
Procurement in smaller companies

According to the Act, procurement procedures must be announced in a public database. The databases generally used by the Swedish public sector are Anbudsjournalen (Allego) and OPIC. Exceptions apply to single tendering of low value.

Anbudsjournalen
OPIC

Types of public procurement

European level

The EU rules on public procurement are only binding for purchases that exceed certain defined threshold values. For the procurement of goods and services, the threshold is set at EUR 387 000. For construction projects, the threshold is EUR 4 850 000.

More on thresholds
Easier for small companies to participate in tenders

National level

In Sweden the public sector is organised on three levels:

local level - municipalities;
regional level - county councils;
national level - via authorities.

Purchases of goods, services or construction contracts take place regularly at all three levels.

Municipalities, county councils and procurement

Step by step guide to the procurement process

Planning

The procuring department assesses what is needed, and the requirements are compiled into a 'call for tenders' document.

The specification states what the supplier is to quote for, what requirements the ordering body has regarding what the tenderer should do and how the different requirements are to be evaluated in relation to each other.

More on the 'call for tenders' document

Notice of procurement

Once prepared, the call for tender becomes public by announcement in procurement journals and databases.

If the value of the procurement exceeds the EU threshold it must be announced in the EU's TED database, and the official journal of the EU (OJEU).

Submission of tenders

The suppliers reply to the call by submitting tenders. Tenders are usually sent by post, but sometimes also by e-mail.

More on notice, deadlines and submission of tenders

Open competitive tendering

The procuring department must accept the tender that either offers the lowest price or is most economically beneficial in terms of price, delivery time, operating costs, quality, function, service, environmental impact, etc.

More on how tenders are assessed

Contract award

The company whose tender has been selected is offered a contract or a framework agreement with conditions for concluding subsequent contracts.

The procuring authority must state the reasons for its decision and grant access to the documentation relating to the procurement process.

More on the conclusion of the procurement process

Public procurement authority

The Swedish Competition Authority (Konkurrensverket) is the authority which oversees procurement policy. It proposes changes to rules and measures designed to eliminate obstacles to effective competition, and it also builds up and disseminates knowledge on competition issues.

About the Swedish Competition Authority

Administrative procedures

Submitting tenders

Conditions

There are formal requirements setting out how to reply to tenders. All formalities must be satisfied and a supplier must be able to fulfil what has been promised in the tender.

Formal requirements
Environmental requirements

If your company is selected as a supplier then your tender is made public and can be reviewed by competitors. If you have made a formal error, you may lose the contract if someone appeals against the decision to award it to you.

Appealing against a decision

Resources

The Swedish National Financial Management Authority website (Avropa) provides information about tendering processes and framework agreements within state procurement procedures.

Avropa

Check also the legislation on this topic in:

Public contracts - Sweden