In an open EU procedure, the typical timeline is 35-52 days. Restricted procedure is two phases: pre-qualification (30 days) + bid (30 days). Time pressure is real — knowing the process beats a 'last-day panic'.
Step 1 · Assess the notice (1-2 hours)
- Download the notice from TED / national platform (some tender documents only visible after portal registration — Germany e-Vergabe, France PLACE)
- Scope — CPV codes align with your firm? Any sub-contractable portion?
- Selection criteria — turnover, references, certificates met?
- Deadline + communication language — how many days of real prep time?
- Award formula — price only, or MEAT (technical + price weighted)?
Step 2 · GO/NO-GO decision (same day)
If the first read doesn't say 'worth it', don't start. Time is your most expensive resource. Proceed only when 3 conditions hold: (1) references + certificates match, (2) estimated value inside your min-max contract range, (3) strategic reason to enter that buyer's country.
Step 3 · Registration + e-declaration (2-3 days)
- Register on the country's e-procurement platform (DE: e-Vergabe, FR: PLACE, ES: PLACSP, IT: MePA/SIMOG)
- Prepare your EORI number — used for customs identification
- Complete the ESPD (European Single Procurement Document) — self-declare all financial/legal conditions
- Qualified electronic signature (eIDAS-compliant) — from your country's certified provider or an EU one
Step 4 · Technical bid (7-14 days)
- Method statement — how you'll execute: schedule, team, equipment, quality approach
- Key personnel CVs — with certificates and language ability (some tenders require B2 in local language)
- Reference projects — 3-5 completed projects + official completion certificates (translated)
- Certificates dossier — ISO 9001/14001/45001, EN 1090 etc. + notarised translations
- Sub-contractor LOIs (if any)
Step 5 · Financial bid (2-3 days, final stage)
- BoQ (Bill of Quantities) — unit price + total for each line
- Tax + customs — imported material? DDP/DAP Incoterms in scope
- Currency risk — contract in EUR, cost in home currency: add 8-15% safety margin
- Expat personnel cost — accommodation, per diem, labour uplift
- Bid bond — usually 1-3%, via bank guarantee
Step 6 · Electronic submission (NOT in the last 24h)
The last 6 hours before deadline crash the portal — everyone uploads at once. Upload 2 days before deadline. Portals may confuse UTC vs local time — 17:00 CET is 19:00 in Turkey. Late = rejected, no appeal.
Step 7 · Opening + evaluation (2-8 weeks)
- Bids opened on the portal, list of bidders often published within 24h
- Buyer runs technical + financial evaluation (2-6 weeks)
- Award notice — congrats if won; if lost, request scores (buyer must disclose non-subjective scoring)
- Standstill period — 10 days, losers can appeal
- Contract signature + performance bond (5-10%)
Classic mistakes
- Filling ESPD on the last day — 30-min task turns into 2 days when a portal bug hits
- CVs not in the tender language — DE tender needs DE CVs
- Reference projects listed without summary, date, or value
- Forgetting to actually sign the electronic signature (the biggest bomb)
- Not checking contract language — governing text is EN or local?
You'll lose your first 5 EU tenders. By tender 10, your win rate beats domestic — most competitors are still fighting the process. The learner wins.