How to win public tenders: what the award data says
Updated 18 Oct 2026 · figures from 5 Nov 2026
Most suppliers think public tenders are crowded. The award notices say otherwise. Across the 20,422 award notices behind our tender pages, the typical contract got between 1 and 5 bids, and in some markets most contracts got only one. Small and mid-sized companies won the majority: the median SME share across our markets is 67%.
1. Many contracts get only one bid
The share of awards where the buyer received a single bid, by category and country:
| Single-bid awards | Germany | Poland | France | Italy | Spain | UK | Finland |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Construction | 10% | 19% | 11% | 10% | 20% | 19% | 6% |
| Medical equipment | 45% | 76% | 29% | 39% | 67% | 35% | 35% |
| Architecture and engineering | 15% | 31% | 9% | 8% | 17% | 30% | 7% |
| IT services | 36% | 69% | 26% | 39% | 38% | 48% | 25% |
| Software | 45% | 67% | 19% | 43% | 49% | 52% | 27% |
| Cleaning and waste | 10% | 47% | 19% | 28% | 27% | 21% | 11% |
| Vehicles | 48% | 49% | 21% | 34% | 31% | 33% | 44% |
| Repair and maintenance | 42% | 66% | 29% | 44% | 44% | 22% | 18% |
| Business services | 15% | 39% | 13% | 22% | 20% | 27% | 13% |
| Security and fire safety | 42% | 56% | 18% | 18% | 45% | 19% | 44% |
Where the share is high, the buyer usually struggled to find bidders. Medical equipment, IT, software and vehicles stand out. A well-prepared bid in those markets has good odds, simply because few others are prepared.
2. Price alone decides more often than you think, but it depends on the country
The share of awards decided on price alone, from the award criteria in the notice:
| Price only | Germany | Poland | France | Italy | Spain | UK | Finland |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Construction | 95% | 34% | 4% | 32% | 13% | – | 73% |
| Medical equipment | 61% | 53% | 23% | 58% | 49% | – | 60% |
| Architecture and engineering | 22% | 30% | 6% | 15% | 7% | – | 45% |
| IT services | 37% | 51% | 16% | 38% | 12% | – | 29% |
| Software | 70% | 41% | 18% | 81% | 27% | – | 37% |
| Cleaning and waste | 53% | 54% | 5% | 60% | 16% | – | 65% |
| Vehicles | 52% | 37% | 7% | 73% | 14% | – | 77% |
| Repair and maintenance | 63% | 51% | 11% | 61% | 21% | – | 56% |
| Business services | 29% | 41% | 6% | 21% | 8% | – | 32% |
| Security and fire safety | 65% | 43% | 13% | 71% | 22% | – | 63% |
The spread is large. German construction contracts are almost all decided on price (95%), French ones almost never (4%). Where quality counts, the written answers to the quality questions decide the contract; where price counts, a tidy, compliant bid at a sharp price does. Read the award criteria before you decide to bid.
3. SMEs win most contracts
Buyers must split large contracts into lots where they can, and most do. On our pages SMEs won 86% of construction awards in Germany and 88% of engineering awards in Poland. Being small is not a reason to stay out; bidding for a lot instead of the whole contract often is the way in.
4. Winners are almost always local
In most of our markets fewer than 5% of awards go to a company from another country. That is not a rule, it is effort: documents in the local language, local references and someone who can answer the buyer's questions quickly. If you sell across borders, a local partner or subcontracting to a local winner is often the quickest route.
What this means in practice
Bid less, but better. Pick tenders where you meet every requirement and the award criteria suit you, and put the time saved into the answers.
Look at past awards first. Who won similar contracts from this buyer, with how many bids and at what price, tells you more than the notice does. Each of our pages lists recent winners.
Ask questions early. Buyers answer to all bidders, and a good question can change the documents in your favour.
Questions
How many companies usually bid on a public tender in Europe?
In most categories the median is between 1 and 5 bids per contract, from award notices on TED and Find a Tender. Construction and engineering get the most; medical equipment, IT and vehicles often get one or two.
Do small companies win public tenders?
Yes. In most of the markets we track, small and mid-sized companies won well over half of the awards, often by bidding for one lot of a larger contract.
Is the cheapest bid always the winner?
No. It depends on the award criteria. In German construction almost every contract is decided on price, while in France most are decided on price and quality together.