How to Bid on Public Tenders in Romania Procurement Law, Rules and Procedures

Romania sits at the crossroads of opportunity and regulation when it comes to public procurement. As an EU Member State, its procurement framework is deeply aligned with European rules yet shaped by local practice and administrative nuance. For companies eyeing infrastructure, energy, healthcare, ICT, consulting, or supply contracts, Romania offers a vibrant but detail-intensive tendering environment.

This guide unpacks how public procurement works in Romania in 2025, with clear explanations of laws, platforms, bid procedures, documentation requirements, evaluation, and pitfalls to avoid.

Legal Framework for Public Procurement in Romania

Public procurement in Romania is governed by Law No. 98/2016 on Public Procurement and Government Emergency Ordinance No. 39/2016, both of which implement the EU’s modern procurement directives (2014/24/EU, 2014/25/EU).

These laws apply to:

• Central government ministries and agencies

• Local authorities (counties, cities, communes)

• Public utilities

• State-owned enterprises

• Public institutions and national operators

Romania’s procurement system revolves around mandatory principles including:

• Transparency

• Equal treatment and non-discrimination

• Proportionality

• Free competition

• Efficient use of public funds

Breach of these principles can lead to complaints, suspension of procedures, and legal challenges before administrative courts.

Who Publishes Public Tenders in Romania

Romanian public tenders must be published in:

• SEAP (Sistemul Electronic de Achiziții Publice) – the official national e-procurement platform

• TED (Tenders Electronic Daily) – for contracts above EU thresholds

SEAP is the main portal for accessing all Romanian public procurement notices regardless of contract value. It also serves as the platform for electronic submissions, clarifications, and official documentation.

Key Types of Procurement Procedures

Romania uses a range of procedures depending on contract value, complexity, and urgency:

Open ProcedureThe most widely used method. Any interested bidder may submit a tender.

Restricted ProcedureUsed when a pre-qualification is required to shortlist bidders.

Competitive Procedure with NegotiationAllowed for complex technical specifications or when clarifications are necessary before final offers.

Competitive DialogueBest for highly complex projects (e.g., large infrastructure or PPPs) where the authority and bidders define technical solutions together.

Direct AwardOnly allowed for low-value or highly specific contracts under strict legal conditions.

Each procedure has fixed rules on deadlines, documentation, and evaluation, and authorities must adhere strictly to the chosen method.

Thresholds and EU Integration

Romania applies EU financial thresholds that determine:

• Mandatory publication in TED

• Minimum bid submission deadlines

• Additional transparency requirements

Contracts above EU thresholds require maximum procedural rigor and must be published on both SEAP and TED. Below-threshold contracts follow streamlined rules but still require competition and transparency.

Understanding threshold applicability is essential because compliance obligations scale with contract size.

Electronic Procurement and Submission Rules

Romanian public procurement is fully electronic.

Key characteristics:

• Tender documentation and clarifications are published online

• Bids are submitted via SEAP only

• System enforces strict deadlines

• Electronic signatures or certificates are mandatory in many cases

Late or incorrectly formatted submissions are rejected automatically. There is no room for informal workaround.

Essential Bid Documentation

Typical documents required include:

• Administrative documentation

• Proof of legal, financial, and technical capacity

• Bid security (if required)

• Technical proposal and methodology

• Financial offer or pricing schedule

• Past performance and references

• Tax and social security compliance certificates

Many Romanian authorities require documents in Romanian. Foreign submissions often need certified translations. Failing to provide legally valid translations is one of the top reasons bids are rejected.

Evaluation Criteria and Award Process

Romanian contracting authorities must define evaluation criteria clearly in advance. Common approaches include:

• Lowest price

• Best price-quality ratio (most economically advantageous tender)

• Technical scoring

• Sustainability and social criteria (increasingly common for EU-funded projects)

Authorities publish evaluation results and award decisions electronically through SEAP.

After the award decision, a standstill period applies during which unsuccessful bidders can request explanations or file challenges.

Appeals and Complaint Mechanisms

Romania has a well-defined complaints framework:

• Initial appeals can be filed directly on SEAP

• Further challenges may be brought before administrative courts

• Filing an appeal can suspend the procurement process

Understanding deadlines and procedural rules for appeals is critical because administrative timelines are strict.

Contract Award and Execution

Once the standstill period expires and the contract is signed:

• Guarantees and performance bonds may be required

• Contract execution must conform to the original tender specifications

• Substantial changes often trigger additional procurement requirements

Romania enforces contract compliance seriously, especially for public works and EU-funded projects.

Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Foreign bidders frequently stumble on:

• Language issues (Romanian requirement)

• Incorrect or missing certified translations

• Non-compliant electronic signatures

• Misunderstanding SEAP submission rules

• Missing clarifications or addenda

Romania is procedural. Formal accuracy is not optional.

Sector Opportunities in Romania

Romania’s procurement landscape offers opportunities in:

• Infrastructure and transport

• Healthcare and medical equipment

• Energy and renewables

• ICT and digital transformation

• Construction and public works

• Consultancy and professional services

EU-funded projects often have separate visibility and co-financing requirements, so understanding funding streams can increase win rates.

How to Maximize Success in Romanian Public Tenders

Winning in Romania requires:

1. Early market monitoring

2. Professional translation and legal review

3. Clear, compliant technical and financial proposals

4. Understanding evaluation criteria

5. Tracking amendments and deadlines

6. Using data-driven tools for opportunity identification

Manual tracking across SEAP and TED is slow and error-prone. Smart automation and filters make the difference.

TendersGo: The World’s Largest Tender & Contract Search Engine

If you’re serious about winning public contracts in Romania or globally, manual monitoring isn’t enough.

TendersGo is the world’s biggest tender and contract search engine, aggregating opportunities from over 220 countries with multilingual coverage and AI-powered analytics. With TendersGo you can:

• Search Romanian tenders in English and Romanian

• Track opportunities by sector, threshold, CPV/NAICS codes

• Get instant alerts on new and updated tenders

• Analyze competition and past awards

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Romania’s public procurement market is dynamic, regulated, and rich with opportunity. But technical finesse, procedural compliance, and digital fluency are non-negotiable.

With the right approach and tools, you can turn Romanian public contracts into sustainable business pipelines.

Romania runs by rules; smart bidders run with them.