How do you fill in the European Single Procurement Document? When is it mandatory, how does the XML format work, and how do you reuse it for subsequent tenders?

Award criteria: price, cost or best price-quality ratio?

How are public contracts awarded in Belgium? The three award methods, the difference between price and BPQR, and how to align your strategy as a tenderer.

Legal remedies in public procurement: your rights as a tenderer

How can you challenge an award decision? The standstill period, suspension, annulment and ineffectiveness in Belgian public procurement.

A winning tender strategy: from specifications to award

How do you write a winning tender? Specification analysis, scoring optimisation, team composition and strategy.

Lots and SME access: how Belgium lowers the barriers

How the division into lots and the Act of 22 December 2023 promote SME access to public procurement. Advance payments, bid fees and transparency.

How does e-Procurement work in Belgium? The complete overview

The Belgian e-Procurement platform: e-Notification, e-Tendering, Free Market and e-Catalogue. Setup and profiles.

Getting Started

Essential knowledge for public procurement

Finding your first tender

Learn how to use TenderWolf to find and monitor relevant public procurement opportunities.

How does e-Procurement work in Belgium? The complete overview

The Belgian e-Procurement platform: e-Notification, e-Tendering, Free Market and e-Catalogue. Setup and profiles.

CPV codes: the classification language of public procurement

What are CPV codes, how are they structured, and why are they crucial for finding relevant tenders? Structure, examples and practical tips.

TED and European publication: how does it work?

Everything about Tenders Electronic Daily (TED), the European publication obligation, eForms, and how to find and monitor European tenders as a contractor.

European thresholds and estimation rules: when does EU procurement apply?

How are the European thresholds calculated? Estimation rules, artificial splitting prohibition, and current thresholds for Belgian public procurement.

Contract types: works, supplies, services and mixed contracts

What is the difference between a works, supply and service contract? How to determine the main subject in mixed contracts, and why the classification matters.

Procedures & Execution

Procurement procedures, timelines and implementation rules

Filling in the ESPD: a step-by-step guide

How do you fill in the European Single Procurement Document? When is it mandatory, how does the XML format work, and how do you reuse it for subsequent tenders?

Price revision in public procurement: the formula explained

How does price revision work? Revision formula with S-index and I-2021, mandatory revision, and mismatches.

Open and restricted procedure: impact on strategy and planning

When does an authority choose an open or restricted procedure? What does that mean for your planning, your selection dossier and your tender?

Framework agreements and mini-competitions: winning in phase 1 and phase 2

How do framework agreements work? Single/multiple operators, mini-competitions, cascade mechanism and duration.

General execution rules (AUR): payments, surety, penalties and acceptance

What does the Royal Decree of 14 January 2013 regulate? The key rules on payment terms, surety, delay penalties and acceptance in Belgian public procurement.

Contract modifications during execution: when is it still the same contract?

When may a contract be modified without new procurement? Review clauses, de minimis, circumstances.

E-invoicing in public procurement: obligations, Peppol and onboarding

When is e-invoicing mandatory in Belgian public procurement? The UBL format, Peppol network, Mercurius platform and how SMEs can prepare.

Deadlines, questions and information notes: room to manoeuvre and risks

Which deadlines apply in public procurement? How to ask questions via the forum, how to handle rectification notices, and when are deadlines extended?

Competitive procedure with negotiation, competitive dialogue and innovation partnership

When are special procedures used? How do negotiations, dialogue rounds and innovation partnerships work, and how do you prepare as a tenderer?

Reliance on third parties and consortia: governance, documents and liability

How do you collaborate in a temporary association or consortium in public procurement? Which capabilities can you 'borrow' from third parties, and how do you prove it?

Subcontracting in public procurement: obligations, chain liability and exclusion risk

What are the rules on subcontracting in Belgian public procurement? Disclosure obligation, exclusion checks, chain liability and changes during execution.

Common irregularities in tenders: how to avoid exclusion

Which errors lead to exclusion in public procurement? Substantial vs non-substantial irregularities, missing documents, and how the authority handles them.

Electronic auction and dynamic purchasing system (DPS): how do they work?

What is an electronic auction in public procurement and how does a dynamic purchasing system work? Conditions, procedure and bidding strategy.

Variants and options in public procurement

When may a tenderer submit a variant? What is the difference with an option? Rules, conditions and strategic use.

Surety and guarantees in public procurement

How does the surety work in public procurement? Amount, exemption, release and the 2023 reforms. Practical guide for tenderers.

Contractor recognition: classes, categories and public works contracts in Belgium

How does the contractor recognition system work in Belgium? Categories A-P, classes 1-8, thresholds and the link with selection criteria in public procurement.

Selection & Award

Selection criteria, award criteria and evaluation

Selection criteria in public procurement: who may compete?

Everything about qualitative selection in Belgian public procurement: exclusion grounds, financial standing, technical ability and reliance on third parties.

Award criteria: price, cost or best price-quality ratio?

How are public contracts awarded in Belgium? The three award methods, the difference between price and BPQR, and how to align your strategy as a tenderer.

Social and environmental criteria in public procurement: from award to execution

How do sustainability criteria work? Selection, award and execution regarding environment and social policy.

Abnormal prices and price investigation in public procurement

When is a price abnormally low or high? How does the price investigation work, how do you defend your price, and when is a tender excluded?

MEAT award and life-cycle costing: beyond the lowest price

How does the most economically advantageous tender (MEAT) work? What are life-cycle costs and how do you maximise your score on quality criteria?

Legal Framework

Legislation, principles and legal remedies

The Belgian Public Procurement Act 2016: what every contractor needs to know

The Belgian Act of 17 June 2016: principles, procedures, thresholds and recent amendments.

Legal remedies in public procurement: your rights as a tenderer

How can you challenge an award decision? The standstill period, suspension, annulment and ineffectiveness in Belgian public procurement.

Transparency versus confidentiality in public procurement

How far does the transparency principle extend in public procurement? When may an authority keep information confidential, and what are the tenderer's rights?

The fundamental principles of public procurement: equality, transparency and proportionality

Which basic principles govern Belgian public procurement law? Equal treatment, transparency, non-discrimination, proportionality and competition.

Appeal before the Council of State: suspension and annulment of award decisions

How do you challenge an award decision before the Council of State? Standstill, suspension proceedings, extreme urgency and damages.

Damages after an unlawful award decision

When are you entitled to damages after an incorrect award decision? Burden of proof, calculation and procedure before the civil court.

Integrity risks and conflicts of interest in public procurement

What integrity risks exist in public procurement? Conflicts of interest, exclusion grounds, codes of conduct and measures for a level playing field.

GDPR and public procurement: data protection in public purchasing

How does GDPR affect public procurement? Data processing, DPO requirements, transparency and privacy balance.

Specialist Topics

Concessions, special sectors and cross-border

Concessions versus public contracts: when do you transfer operating risk?

What distinguishes a concession from a public contract? Operating risk, legislation, and bid strategy.

Cross-border tendering in the Benelux: platforms, documents and practical barriers

How do you tender for a Dutch or Luxembourg public contract as a Belgian company, and vice versa? Platforms, ESPD, qualifications and practical tips.

Special sectors: utilities, defence and the deviating rules

Rules for utilities and defence procurement. Higher thresholds, flexible procedures and specific directives.

IT and cloud public procurement: specific challenges and opportunities

How do public contracts for IT services, software and cloud work? Framework agreements, IaaS/SaaS models, vendor lock-in and the role of open standards.

Strategy

Bid strategy, proposal strategy and SME access

Lots and SME access: how Belgium lowers the barriers

How the division into lots and the Act of 22 December 2023 promote SME access to public procurement. Advance payments, bid fees and transparency.

TED and CPV codes: finding public contracts and being found

How does TED (Tenders Electronic Daily) work? What are CPV codes and how do you use them to find relevant contracts or increase your visibility?

The bid/no-bid decision: when to tender and when to pass

How do you decide whether to bid on a public contract? A structured bid/no-bid framework with criteria, scoring method and practical checklist.

A winning tender strategy: from specifications to award

How do you write a winning tender? Specification analysis, scoring optimisation, team composition and strategy.

The European SME strategy in public procurement: from directive to reality

How the EU improves SME access to public procurement. Divide-or-explain, ESPD, and Public Procurement Data Space.

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