Prequalification

Gathering the same evidence for every tender takes time that is then missing from the bid deadline. Prequalification reverses this: you have your suitability checked once a year and in the procedure you simply refer to your number.

Two systems, depending on the type of contract

In Germany there are two separate prequalification systems.

PQ-VOB applies to construction works. Companies are entered in the prequalification register for construction companies, maintained by bodies recognised by the Association for the Prequalification of Construction Companies (Verein für die Präqualifikation von Bauunternehmen).

AVPQ applies to supplies and services. The assessment is carried out by the Chambers of Industry and Commerce, and registration is valid nationwide for one year.

What registration achieves

The effect is strongest in construction. Section 6b EU of the Construction Contract Procedures (VOB/A) links registration to a presumption of suitability: the contracting authority must in principle regard suitability as proven. You no longer submit individual evidence, you simply state your PQ number.

Since July 2026, prequalification has also been anchored in the Act against Restraints of Competition (GWB). Section 122(3) expressly names prequalification systems as a means of demonstrating suitability, on an equal footing with self-declarations.

Process and duration

You submit an application to a recognised prequalification body and provide the documents that would otherwise have to accompany every single tender: register extract, certificates of good standing, proof of professional liability insurance, turnover figures, references, details of staff and equipment. The body reviews them and, if the result is positive, enters you in the register.

A maximum duration applies in construction: prequalification may not take longer than six weeks. The registration must be updated annually, otherwise it lapses.

When the effort pays off

The calculation is simple: how many bids do you submit per year, and how many hours does compiling the evidence cost you per bid? With three to four bids a year, prequalification is usually already economical, with more it clearly is.

There is a second effect that is harder to quantify. When evidence is no longer in the way, you can respond at short notice to tenders you would otherwise have let pass because the deadline was too tight. Especially in restricted tenders with short deadlines, this decides whether you bid at all.

What you also need to check

Prequalification does not replace contract-specific evidence, concepts or pricing. Nor does it say anything about whether a particular tender is a good professional fit for you. And it does not protect you if a required minimum turnover or a required reference exceeds what you can show.

The question of whether a specific tender suits your company therefore remains. Only the recurring paperwork disappears.