What does single-stage procurement procedure mean?
A single-stage procurement procedure (einstufiges Vergabeverfahren) is characterized by the suitability check and the bid evaluation taking place in a single procedural step. All interested companies can directly submit a complete bid that includes both the suitability evidence and the content and price offer. There is no preceding participation contest that narrows the group of bidders in advance.
The classic example of a single-stage procurement procedure is the open procedure under Section 15 VgV (Public Procurement Ordinance) above the thresholds or the public tender under the UVgO (Sub-Threshold Procurement Rules) below the thresholds. In these procedure types, the contracting authority publishes the notice and the procurement documents, and any interested company can submit a bid within the bid deadline. The contracting authority then first checks the bidders' suitability and then evaluates the bids of the companies found to be suitable.
Single-stage procedures are usually faster and less work than two-stage procedures, because only one procedural phase has to be carried out. They are particularly suitable for standardized procurements with a clearly definable scope of work, where there is no need to narrow the group of bidders. However, the effort for the contracting authority can be higher if a large number of bids come in, because all bids have to be fully checked and evaluated.
Relevance for bidders
Single-stage procurement procedures give bidders the advantage of low-threshold access, because there is no separate application phase to go through. Any interested company can submit a bid directly, which is especially attractive for smaller companies and newcomers to the market. The effort is concentrated on a single submission that includes both the suitability evidence and the bid.
Bidders should note that in single-stage procedures, preparing a bid is usually more work than in two-stage procedures, because all documents have to be submitted at once. Careful planning and timely preparation are therefore essential. There is also the risk that the effort of preparing the bid was wasted if the suitability check shows that the requirements are not met.
Legal framework
The open procedure, as the most important single-stage procedure, is governed by Section 15 VgV. Below the thresholds, Section 9 UVgO governs the public tender as a single-stage procedure. The open procedure and the public tender are the standard procedures in procurement law, which means they are allowed without special justification. Choosing a different procedure type, by contrast, requires an objective justification.