FAQ: What are the different Opportunity Types?

Investment plan

A future investment that is budgeted for by a buyer, but a specific tender might not yet be in preparation.

Funds and pools

Information about a financial framework that is set aside for a certain type of future projects or investments, rather than about a specific tender. Currently only used in Denmark.

Potential investment

A potential opportunity that buyers publicly have mentioned but might not yet be confirmed or budgeted for.

Prior information

An early announcement (Prior Information Notice / PIN) by a contracting authority about planned purchases. It informs the market of likely future tenders, giving suppliers time to prepare.

Request for information

A notice (Request For Information / RFI / Market Consultation) to gather input from suppliers before drafting a tender. Buyers test the market, learn about solutions, and shape requirements. No contract award at this stage.

Procurement plan

An overview document (sometimes annual) listing all the tenders a public body plans to run. Often includes budgets, categories, and timing. In Finland and Denmark those plans are official notices published to national databases.

Planned tender

Individual planned tenders extracted from the procurement plans.

Pipeline

UK specific notice type.

Prior information with call for competition

A PIN that also serves as the start of a procurement procedure. In EU law, this allows the authority to shorten tender deadlines later. Used very rarely, often for below threshold tenders for the sake of transparency.

Design contest

A competitive procedure where a contracting authority invites qualified participants to submit plans or designs for a project (architecture, urban planning, IT solutions, etc.), which are then evaluated by a jury to select the most suitable one. Winners may later get follow-up contracts.

Contract

A notice (CN / Contract Notice) that formally advertises a tender and invites interested suppliers to bid on a public contract.

Subcontract

An opportunity for suppliers to participate indirectly, by bidding to provide goods/services under a main contractor’s public contract. Hardly ever used (hasnt been used for 2 years.

Voluntary ex ante transparency

A notice used when an authority awards a contract without competition (e.g., direct award) but wants to reduce the risk of later legal challenge. It declares the award in advance, giving suppliers a chance to object.

Concession

A type of contract where the supplier is paid mainly through the right to exploit the service/works (e.g., toll road, public transport route), not just a fixed payment from the buyer.

Voluntary

A non-mandatory notice about a procurement, published to inform the market, even when not legally required. Improves transparency and market engagement. Voluntary is an umbrella opportunity type in Mercell bidding. It contains all Voluntary tenders, many of them below threshold tenders. Also contains private tenders, as many of these are voluntary in nature.

Qualification system

A system (often in utilities procurement) where suppliers can apply to be pre-qualified. Once accepted, they can compete for contracts under that system.

Dynamic purchasing system (DPS)

A purchasing system that runs for a long time (often several years, but without a fixed duration) is open to new suppliers at any time. Used for commonly purchased goods/services.

Contract Modification

A notice announcing changes to an existing, already awarded contract (scope, value, duration). Required when modifications are significant. Other suppliers cannot bid again on the modified contract.

Freedom of choice (LOV)

The LOV law in Sweden, short for "Lagen om valfrihetssystem" (The Act on System of Choice in the Public Sector), is legislation that allows individuals to choose among approved service providers in publicly funded services, such as health care, elderly care, and social services. The law is voluntary for municipalities but mandatory for primary care under the Health and Medical Services Act. The point with the setup is to qualify (and contract) a large amount of suppliers of services and then let the end user (the elderly person/relatives) to choose from among them.

ICB (International Competitive Bidding)

A procurement process open to bidders worldwide, often used in projects financed by international development organisations (e.g., World Bank).

Article Reference: 060120260926