How to find public tenders in Switzerland
Who buys and which rules apply
Switzerland has three levels of public buyers: the Confederation, the 26 cantons and the communes. Public companies in sectors such as water, energy and transport also buy under procurement law.
The Confederation follows the Federal Act on Public Procurement (BöB, SR 172.056.1). Cantons and communes follow the Intercantonal Agreement on Public Procurement (IVöB), which each canton adopts with its own implementing rules.
Where tenders are published
In open and selective procedures the buyer publishes the tender, the award and any cancellation on the internet platform the Confederation and the cantons run together (BöB Art. 48). That platform is SIMAP, used by the Confederation, cantons and communes.
Access to these publications is free of charge, and tender documents are as a rule made available electronically at the same time (BöB Art. 48 para. 2).
Some cantons and communes also publish notices in their official gazette. Many gazettes are online at amtsblattportal.ch.
The four procedures
- Open procedure
- The buyer publishes the tender and any supplier may submit a bid.
- Selective procedure
- The buyer publishes the tender, suppliers first apply to take part, and the buyer selects who may bid based on their suitability.
- Invitation procedure
- The buyer invites suppliers to bid without a public tender, if possible at least three. It applies below the open procedure thresholds.
- Direct award
- The buyer awards the contract directly without a tender. It applies below the invitation thresholds and in exceptional cases set by law.
Thresholds for a public tender
The contract value, excluding VAT, decides the procedure. From these values a contract must go through an open or selective procedure and is published on SIMAP.
| Contract type | Open or selective from | Invitation from | Direct award below |
|---|---|---|---|
| Construction | CHF 2,000,000 | CHF 300,000 | CHF 300,000 |
| Supplies | CHF 230,000 | CHF 150,000 | CHF 150,000 |
| Services | CHF 230,000 | CHF 150,000 | CHF 150,000 |
| Contract type | Open or selective from | Invitation from | Direct award below |
|---|---|---|---|
| Main construction work | CHF 500,000 | CHF 300,000 | CHF 300,000 |
| Secondary construction work | CHF 250,000 | CHF 150,000 | CHF 150,000 |
| Supplies | CHF 250,000 | CHF 150,000 | CHF 150,000 |
| Services | CHF 250,000 | CHF 150,000 | CHF 150,000 |
Larger contracts fall under international agreements, with higher thresholds for open procedures (for the federal administration CHF 230,000 for supplies and services and CHF 8.7 million for construction) and longer minimum deadlines. Federal entities in the utility sectors have their own thresholds. Check the rules of each canton, which can add details.
How to find tenders that fit
- Search SIMAP directly. It is the official source for every notice, its documents and its questions and answers.
- Check the official gazette of the cantons where you work for notices published there.
- Remember that contracts below the thresholds are often awarded by invitation or directly, without a public notice. Being known to the buyers in your region matters.
- Use our free directory to see Swiss tenders from SIMAP, cantonal gazettes and international organisations based in Switzerland in one list, filtered by canton or sector, with a summary in your language and a link to the original notice.
2,221 current Swiss notices in our free directory. Browse them above · Numbers for every country
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Questions about Swiss public tenders
Where are public tenders in Switzerland published?
On SIMAP (simap.ch), the platform the Confederation, cantons and communes share. Open and selective procedures must be published there (BöB Art. 48). Some cantons and communes also publish notices in their official gazette.
Is SIMAP free?
Yes, access to the published tenders is free of charge by law (BöB Art. 48 para. 2). The law allows the platform operator to charge fees for some services.
From what value must a Swiss public contract be tendered?
For the federal administration, from CHF 230,000 for supplies and services and CHF 2 million for construction. For cantons and communes under the IVöB, from CHF 250,000 for supplies, services and secondary construction work and CHF 500,000 for main construction work. Values exclude VAT.
Which procurement procedures exist in Switzerland?
Four: the open procedure, the selective procedure, the invitation procedure and the direct award (BöB Art. 17). Only the open and selective procedures are publicly tendered.
How long do I have to submit a bid?
For federal tenders under international agreements, at least 40 days from publication in the open procedure. For other federal tenders, as a rule at least 20 days, and not less than 5 days for largely standardised goods and services (BöB Art. 46). The deadline is always in the notice.
Is there a free way to search all Swiss tenders in one place?
Yes. Our public directory lists 2,221 current Swiss notices from SIMAP and other official Swiss sources. It is free, needs no login, and links every notice to its original.