Guides
How public tenders work in Portugal, explained for companies that bid
Short guides to the Código dos Contratos Públicos (CCP, the Portuguese Public Contracts Code), as in force since 1 October 2026, with the articles cited and worked examples. Written by José Brandão, who makes Adjudica. The terms are in the glossary, and what AI does at each stage of a tender is in the guide to AI for public tenders.
- 01
How to compare prices and competitors in Portuguese public tenders
Learn to compare similar public contracts, prices per month or unit and winning companies, with a worked example and data from Portal BASE in Portugal.
Updated on 3 Nov 2026 - 02
Direct award and invited quotes in Portugal: 2026 limits
The direct award and invited quote limits in Portugal after Decreto-Lei 177/2026, for goods, services and works, and what changes for companies selling to the State.
Updated on 11 Nov 2026 - 03
Abnormally low price in Portuguese tenders: what it is and how to justify it
What the CCP says about abnormally low prices, when the public body can ask for clarification, what you should answer and what happens if you do not convince it.
Updated on 3 Nov 2026 - 04
CPV code: what it is and how to find yours
Search 9,454 CPV codes by name or number. Learn how to read a code and find the public tender sectors that matter to your company in Portugal.
Updated on 3 Nov 2026 - 05
How to search public contracts on base.gov
What base.gov publishes, the contract search fields, how to see who won and at what price, and the limits of the data, with an example.
Updated on 3 Nov 2026 - 06
Award criterion in Portuguese tenders: price, multi-factor and scoring
Single-factor, multi-factor and the price formula: how a bid is scored in a Portuguese public tender, what the CCP says and why winning is not only about cutting the price.
Updated on 25 Oct 2026 - 07
Performance guarantee in Portuguese tenders: how much and when
The guarantee on Portuguese public contracts explained: up to 5% of the contract price, when it can be waived, bank guarantee or surety insurance, 10 days and release.
Updated on 31 Oct 2026 - 08
How to read a caderno de encargos (contract specifications)
How to read the caderno de encargos and the tender rules, check requirements and use AI with page and excerpt. Practical questions for preparing bids in Portugal.
Updated on 25 Oct 2026 - 09
Qualification documents in Portuguese tenders: what to submit and when
Bid and qualification are two stages: what goes in the bid (Article 57 of the CCP), what only the winner submits (Article 81), deadlines, data sharing and lapse.
Updated on 31 Oct 2026 - 10
Deadlines and extensions in Portuguese public tenders
The minimum bid deadlines (6, 14 and 30 days), how they are counted, when the public body must extend them and how to request an extension under the CCP.
Updated on 31 Oct 2026 - 11
Urgent open tender in Portugal: deadlines, when it is used, how to bid
The Portuguese urgent open tender: how to spot it in the notice, how its deadline compares with the usual 6 and 14 days, and how to get a bid ready in time.
Updated on 13 Nov 2026 - 12
Tender notice in the Diário da República: how to read it
How to read a Portuguese tender notice in the Diário da República, section by section, and the six fields that tell you in minutes whether to open the documents.
Updated on 12 Nov 2026 - 13
Framework agreements in Portugal: how your company gets in
Portuguese framework agreements explained for suppliers: how they work, who buys this way (ESPAP and central purchasing bodies), how to get in and what changes.
Updated on 11 Nov 2026 - 14
How to respond to a consulta prévia in Portugal, step by step
How to respond to a Portuguese consulta prévia: what to read in the invitation, how to prepare and submit the bid, what comes next and the special version.
Updated on 11 Nov 2026 - 15
Public tenders split into lots in Portugal: which lots to bid for
Portuguese public tenders split into lots: how to choose which lots to bid for, what changes in the bid, how each lot is scored and the limits the rules can set.
Updated on 11 Nov 2026 - 16
Open tenders on base.gov: where they are and how to cross-check them
Open tenders on base.gov: what the portal shows in notices and in contracts, how to tell if a tender is still open and how to check it against past contracts.
Updated on 10 Nov 2026 - 17
The Public Contracts Code (CCP) explained: what a bidder needs
Portugal's Public Contracts Code explained without jargon: who it applies to, the articles a bidder really uses and what changed on 1 October 2026.
Updated on 6 Nov 2026 - 18
Consortia and joint bids in Portuguese public tenders
Consortia and groups of companies in Portuguese public tenders: how to bid together, who signs the bid, which legal form to adopt and who answers for the contract.
Updated on 6 Nov 2026 - 19
Edital, notice, documents and CPV: a glossary of public tenders
What an edital is and 23 other public tender terms in a few sentences: notice, tender documents, CPV, 2026 EU thresholds, State purchasing and more.
Updated on 6 Nov 2026 - 20
Contractor's licence (alvará) for public works in Portugal: classes and categories
The alvará for Portuguese public works contracts: the works value of each class, from 200,000 € to over 19 million, categories, subcategories and when you submit it.
Updated on 5 Nov 2026 - 21
The ESPD (DEUCP) in Portuguese tenders: when and how to fill it in
The ESPD (DEUCP in Portuguese) in public tenders in Portugal: which tenders ask for it, where to find the form, how to fill in each part and who signs it.
Updated on 4 Nov 2026 - 22
The Annex I declaration of the CCP: what it said and what you submit now
The Annex I declaration of the CCP: what it declared, who signs it for the company, when it went with the bid and why it is no longer required since 1 October 2026.
Updated on 3 Nov 2026 - 23
Public tenders in Portugal for sole traders
Public tenders in Portugal for sole traders: whether you can bid without a company, how you sign the bid and which documents you need if you win.
Updated on 1 Nov 2026 - 24
Digitally signing bids in Portugal: certificate, signer and errors
Digitally signing bids in Portuguese tenders: which qualified certificate to use, who must sign for the company and the signature errors that leave your bid out.
Updated on 31 Oct 2026 - 25
Public procurement platforms in Portugal: which is which
Which is which among Portugal's public tender platforms: what the BASE portal is, what sets anoGov, Vortal, acinGov and Saphety apart, and what registering costs.
Updated on 6 Nov 2026 - 26
How to start bidding for public tenders in Portugal
How to start bidding for public tenders in Portugal: what a small company needs ready, from the digital signature to the certificates, and how to pick a first tender.
Updated on 31 Oct 2026 - 27
How to find open public tenders in Portugal
How to find open public tenders in Portugal: where notices are published, which CPV, district and deadline filters to use, and a short weekly search routine.
Updated on 3 Nov 2026
Open tenders, by district and by sector
Put a guide into practice: the tenders still taking bids, updated every morning (in Portuguese).
By district
- Aveiro
- Beja
- Braga
- Bragança
- Castelo Branco
- Coimbra
- Évora
- Faro
- Guarda
- Leiria
- Lisboa
- Portalegre
- Porto
- Santarém
- Setúbal
- Viana do Castelo
- Vila Real
- Viseu
- Açores
- Madeira
By sector
- Construction and renovation works
- Health and medical supplies
- IT: equipment, software and services
- Transport and vehicles
- Cleaning, waste and environment
- Consulting and business services
- Architecture, engineering and design
- Electricity and energy
- Maintenance and repair
- Food
- Security and defence
- Telecoms and postal services
See this applied to the open tenders for your company
Adjudica reads base.gov (the Portuguese public contracts portal) every day and shows you the tenders for what you do, the maximum price of each one and how far below it winning contracts usually land. Tell us what your company does and we will show you what we find.