How Public Procurement Works in Romania Laws, SEAP Platform and Bid Submission Guide

Romania is one of Eastern Europe’s most active public procurement markets. Supported by national budgets and extensive EU funding, Romanian public authorities publish thousands of tenders every year across infrastructure, construction, energy, healthcare, ICT, and professional services.

At the same time, Romania’s procurement system is highly procedural. The rules are clear, but they are enforced strictly. If you follow them, the system works. If you miss a document or a formal step, the system does not negotiate.

This guide explains how public procurement works in Romania in 2025, including the legal framework, tender procedures, bid submission rules, evaluation methods, and common mistakes suppliers should avoid.

Legal Framework for Public Procurement in Romania

Public procurement in Romania is governed mainly by Law No. 98/2016 on Public Procurement, together with related secondary legislation and implementing rules. These laws transpose EU procurement directives into Romanian national law.

The framework applies to:

• Central government ministries and agencies

• County and municipal authorities

• Public institutions and utilities

• State-owned companies

Romanian procurement law is built on core principles that are applied very strictly in practice:

• Transparency

• Equal treatment and non-discrimination

• Fair competition

• Proportionality

• Efficient use of public funds

Any deviation from these principles may result in complaints, suspension of procedures, or cancellation of awards.

Where Public Tenders Are Published in Romania

All public procurement notices in Romania are published through the SEAP (Sistemul Electronic de Achiziții Publice) platform.

For contracts above EU thresholds, notices are also published in TED (Tenders Electronic Daily).

SEAP is not just a notice board. It is the central system used for:

• Accessing tender documents

• Submitting bids electronically

• Receiving clarifications and amendments

• Publishing award decisions

If you want to do business with the Romanian public sector, SEAP is unavoidable.

Procurement Procedures Used in Romania

Romanian contracting authorities may use several procurement procedures depending on contract value and complexity.

Open ProcedureThe most common method. Any interested supplier may submit a bid.

Restricted ProcedureA pre-qualification phase is used to shortlist suppliers before full bids are submitted.

Competitive Procedure with NegotiationUsed for complex projects where requirements cannot be fully defined at the start.

Competitive DialogueApplied for large, complex projects such as infrastructure or PPP-type contracts.

Direct AwardPermitted only for low-value contracts or specific legally defined situations.

Once a procedure is chosen, the authority must follow its rules strictly.

Thresholds and EU-Funded Projects

Romania applies EU financial thresholds to determine:

• Publication obligations

• Minimum deadlines

• Documentation requirements

Many Romanian public tenders are linked to EU-funded programs. These projects often involve additional compliance, reporting, and audit requirements, but they also offer larger budgets and more structured processes.

Understanding whether a tender is EU-funded is essential before preparing your bid.

Bid Submission Process via SEAP

Romania operates a fully electronic procurement system.

Key points suppliers must respect:

• Bids are submitted electronically via SEAP

• Deadlines are strict and system-enforced

• Electronic signatures or certificates are often required

• Late or incomplete submissions are automatically rejected

There is no flexibility for “technical issues at the last minute.” Preparation matters.

Documentation and Language Requirements

Typical bid documentation includes:

• Administrative declarations and affidavits

• Proof of legal, financial, and technical capacity

• Technical proposal and methodology

• Financial offer and pricing schedules

• Past performance references

• Bid security or guarantees (when required)

Most tenders require documentation in Romanian. Foreign documents often need certified translations. Informal or partial translations are a common reason for rejection.

Evaluation Criteria and Contract Award

Evaluation criteria are defined in advance and published in the tender documents.

Common award criteria include:

• Lowest price

• Best price-quality ratio

• Technical quality and methodology

• Delivery timelines

• Sustainability or social criteria (especially for EU-funded projects)

After evaluation, award decisions are published on SEAP. A standstill period applies before contract signing, allowing unsuccessful bidders to request clarifications or file complaints.

Appeals and Remedies

Romania has a formal complaints and review system. Suppliers may challenge procurement decisions if they believe rules were violated.

Appeals must:

• Be filed within strict deadlines

• Follow formal legal procedures

• Be supported by clear arguments

Late or informal complaints are rejected without review.

Common Mistakes Suppliers Make in Romania

• Missing mandatory administrative documents

• Using uncertified translations

• Ignoring clarifications or amendments

• Submitting bids at the last minute

• Underestimating formal compliance requirements

In Romania, formal correctness is often as important as technical quality.

Key Sectors with Procurement Opportunities

Romania’s public procurement market is particularly active in:

• Infrastructure and transport

• Construction and public works

• Energy and renewables

• Healthcare and medical equipment

• ICT and digital government

• Consulting and professional services

EU funding continues to drive large-scale projects in many of these sectors.

How TendersGo Helps You Find Romanian Public Tenders

Monitoring Romanian public tenders manually on SEAP and TED is time-consuming and risky, especially for international suppliers.

TendersGo is the world’s largest tender and contract search engine, collecting public procurement opportunities from 220+ countries into a single platform. With TendersGo, you can:

• Find Romanian tenders in one place

• Search in English even when tenders are published in Romanian

• Set smart alerts by sector and keyword

• Track awarded contracts and competitors

You can try TendersGo free with a 1-month unlimited trial and explore global tender opportunities without limits.

Romania offers a large, well-funded, and opportunity-rich public procurement market. But it rewards preparation, discipline, and respect for the rules.

If your documents are complete and your process is clean, the system works.If not, it doesn’t argue. It simply moves on.

That’s not harsh. That’s how predictable systems operate.