Insights
How engineering firms win public tenders: A practical overview of TED data on HOAI procurements, concept-based tenders, and win rates.
Felicitas von Rauch
Marketing & Sales
Key Takeaways
2,337 awarded engineering services in the evaluation period according to the ForgentAI database
36% win rate in concept-based tenders for engineering firms (second highest value in industry comparison)
Munich and Hamburg lead procurement activity at the federal level with over 900 notices
HOAI tenders require specific evaluation matrices for performance assessment
Introduction
A Tender Manager in a mid-sized planning firm sits in front of a 200-page procurement folder for a new municipal infrastructure project. The deadlines are tight, the evaluation matrix is complex, and the competition never sleeps. In 2025, above-threshold procurements with an estimated value of around EUR 473 billion were tendered in Germany (TED Europe, ForgentAI analysis). For you, this means: The public sector offers enormous revenue potential but requires maximum precision during bid creation. Engineering services public procurement is the systematic process in which state contracting authorities tender planning and construction supervision services according to strict formal criteria. Those who want to succeed here must know the rules of the procedures exactly. Analyzing tender texts often ties up valuable resources that are missing elsewhere in the project. A data-driven approach helps planning firms realistically assess their chances of winning and focus on the most lucrative procedures.
Contents
How is the market for engineering services in procurement developing?
Why does the engineering firm tender decide in the concept-based tender?
What specifics apply to the HOAI tender during evaluation?
Which cities and procurement offices lead the TED data in 2025?
What strategies help Tender Managers in construction?
Methodology
Frequently Asked Questions about Engineering Services Public Procurement
How is the market for engineering services in procurement developing?
The market for planning and construction supervision services is growing continuously. According to public finance data from the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis), the state invests triple-digit billion amounts in infrastructure annually. The special funds and the municipal investment backlog alone drive up the demand for qualified engineering firms, which steadily expands the market size of public tenders in Germany.
In this fragmented environment, generic AI models like ChatGPT quickly reach their limits, as they often misinterpret the specific terminology of the Vergabe- und Vertragsordnung für Bauleistungen (VOB/A). A domain-specific AI, however, understands the fine nuances between suitability and award criteria in the construction industry. The AI analyzes the complex procurement documents and extracts the required references. The Bid Manager then decides whether the firm will submit a bid based on this processed data.
This structured process saves valuable time.
Why does the engineering firm tender decide in the concept-based tender?
The procurement of planning services is rarely just about the lowest price. The quality of the project team, the approach to complex construction tasks, and the quality assurance methodology factor heavily into the evaluation.
"Price is often secondary for planning services. Those who convince in the concept-based tender with a clear methodology and perfectly matched references win the tender." — Dr. Thomas Weber, Head of Procurement Management, Ingenieurgesellschaft Bau
The data confirms this focus on quality. The analysis of 2,337 awarded engineering services in the above-threshold sector shows a 36% win rate in concept-based tenders for engineering firms (TED Europe, ForgentAI analysis 2025). Below-threshold procurements are not included in this figure. This high rate underscores that contracting authorities place great value on the substantive elaboration.
Firms must direct their capacities specifically toward procedures where their specific references tip the scales. A precise evaluation of the evaluation matrix is essential for this.
Quality almost always beats price.
What specifics apply to the HOAI tender during evaluation?
The Honorarordnung für Architekten und Ingenieure (HOAI) dictates the financial framework for many planning services. Since price competition is often restricted by the binding fee rates of the HOAI, the competition shifts to the performance evaluation. According to § 97 GWB (Gesetz gegen Wettbewerbsbeschränkungen), public contracts must be awarded to competent and capable companies. Furthermore, procurement law protects bidders: According to the Federal Court of Justice (BGH) decision of March 20, 2014 (X ZB 18/13), the cancellation of a tender by the contracting authority is tied to strict conditions.
Tip: Use the KOINNO guidelines for strategic procurement to align your concepts exactly with the qualitative requirements of the procurement office.
Procurement offices use detailed evaluation matrices to assess the professional qualification of the project managers, the availability of the team, and the cost control measures. A common mistake by bidders is copying standard texts from old bids instead of directly addressing the specific requirements of the current HOAI tender.
Standard texts inevitably lead to point deductions.
Which cities and procurement offices lead the TED data in 2025?
A look at the geographic distribution of above-threshold procurements reveals clear focal points. Metropolitan regions with high infrastructure investment needs dominate the market. Munich and Hamburg clearly lead procurement activity at the federal level in 2025.
Rank | City | Top Contracting Authority | Above-Threshold Notices 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
1 | Munich | Landeshauptstadt München, Baureferat | 939 |
2 | Hamburg | SBH Schulbau Hamburg | 902 |
3 | Düsseldorf | Landeshauptstadt Düsseldorf | 542 |
4 | Stuttgart | DB Projekt Stuttgart-Ulm GmbH | 463 |
5 | Berlin | BIM Berliner Immobilienmanagement | 425 |
6 | Leipzig | Stadt Leipzig | 402 |
7 | Berlin | Berliner Wasserbetriebe | 354 |
Source: TED, EU. Analysis by ForgentAI, April 2026. Sample: above-threshold procurements in Germany, 2025, n=3,927.
A similar picture emerges at the state level. In Baden-Württemberg, DB Projekt Stuttgart-Ulm GmbH is a central contracting authority with 565 above-threshold notices (TED Europe, ForgentAI analysis). Such large-scale projects often require bidding consortia, as individual engineering firms cannot provide the required capacities and references for all specialized lots alone.
Regional networks secure market access.
What strategies help Tender Managers in construction?
The evaluation of the TED data shows that the above-threshold market for engineering services is heavily characterized by concept-based tenders and large regional contracting authorities. To succeed in this environment, Tender Managers need a clear methodology for qualifying tenders.
Data: The typical bid deadline for above-threshold procurements is a median of only 31 days (TED Europe, ForgentAI analysis). Below-threshold procedures are not considered here.
In this short time, complex HOAI calculations must be created and tailored concepts drafted. Those who rely on manual document review here lose valuable days that are missing for the substantive elaboration. The systematic analysis of procurement documents by specialized software solutions for tender management gives bidders the decisive time advantage to utilize AI reliability for their own bid creation.
Which of these strategic levers is currently the weakest in your planning firm?
Methodology
The quantitative data used in this report is based on an evaluation of Tenders Electronic Daily (TED), the official portal for European public contracts. The sample includes above-threshold procurements in Germany for the year 2025. Below-threshold procurements, especially smaller municipal procurements, are not included in this dataset. The analysis of win rates in concept-based tenders (n=2,337) was conducted by ForgentAI based on published contract award notices in the field of engineering services.
Frequently Asked Questions about Engineering Services Public Procurement
What is an HOAI tender?
An HOAI tender is a procurement procedure for planning services by architects and engineers, in which the Honorarordnung für Architekten und Ingenieure (HOAI) dictates the pricing framework. Since the fees are often fixed, competition occurs primarily via qualitative criteria such as project organization, team experience, and the quality assurance methodology.
Why are concept-based tenders so important for engineering firms?
In concept-based tenders, the professional approach to the construction task is paramount. For engineering firms, they offer the chance to stand out from the competition through expertise and references instead of engaging in a ruinous price war. The win rates here are often significantly higher for well-positioned firms.
What role do above-threshold procurements play?
Above-threshold procurements are public contracts whose estimated value exceeds the EU thresholds. They must be tendered Europe-wide on the TED portal. These procedures are particularly attractive for engineering firms, as they usually offer larger project volumes and long-term planning security.
How can Tender Managers handle the short bid deadlines?
The median deadline of 31 days requires highly efficient processes. Tender Managers increasingly use specialized software to automatically check procurement documents for suitability criteria and knockout conditions. This leaves more time for drafting the actual planning concept and assembling the project team.
Data source: Tenders Electronic Daily (TED), Supplement to the Official Journal of the European Union, Publications Office of the European Union (ted.europa.eu). License: CC BY 4.0. Evaluation and analysis by ForgentAI. ForgentAI is not affiliated with the European Union and is neither sponsored nor endorsed by it.