The rules of the game
| Element | Rule in the super-simplified procedure (works) |
|---|---|
| Scope | Estimated value below EUR 80,000 |
| Submission period | Minimum 10 working days |
| Award criteria | Exclusively automatic (no judgement-based scoring) |
| Standing | Exempt: no proof required |
| Performance guarantee | Not required |
| Submission | Electronic, with documentation cut to the minimum |
The philosophy is coherent: in small contracts, the administrative cost of requiring technical submissions, standing proof and guarantees exceeds the risk they are meant to cover. The administration gets real competition with a minimal file; companies get a procedure where bidding costs hours, not weeks.
What changes in bidding strategy
Everything is price (or almost). With no judgement-based scoring, the award is decided by formulas on offered figures: price above all, sometimes schedule or extended warranty. The useful analysis therefore shrinks to two pieces: the scoring formula and the real cost of the works. The formula reading explained in the article on award criteria applies in full, in concentrated form.
Speed is the real filter. Ten working days select as much as the requirements do: only those who spot the notice in time and have the internal loop to price a small project in two or three days get to bid. Alerts by CPV code and territory, well configured on the platform, are decisive here.
Volume compensates for size. No single super-simplified contract changes a financial year, but the aggregated segment does: town and provincial councils string together repairs, upkeep and small refurbishments all year round. The company that industrialises the small bid (templates, updated in-house prices, decisions within 48 hours) builds a recurring portfolio against often thin competition: two or three bids per tender is not unusual.
Worked example: changing-room refurbishment for EUR 68,000
A town council publishes on a Tuesday the refurbishment of the sports hall changing rooms: EUR 68,000 estimated value, super-simplified, price-only award with a purely proportional formula, 10 working days. A local contractor with a configured alert spots it that same day. Wednesday and Thursday: a site visit (whenever the timeline allows one) and pricing against its own refurbishment rates: EUR 58,400 full cost. Friday: discount decision at 9 per cent (EUR 61,880), within the council's history and with a 5.6 per cent margin. The following Monday: electronic submission with the minimal documentation. The award arrives two weeks later; with no performance guarantee to lodge, signature is immediate and the works start within a month of the notice.
The account that matters: around twelve hours of total bidding work. Winning one in three at margins of 5 to 8 per cent, the segment more than pays for the cost of studying it.
Note: the amounts and references cited reflect Spanish legislation in force in 2026 (Ley 9/2017, article 159.6). Always check the documents of each specific tender.