Notice Subtypes

Notice subtypes are the most granular level of classification in the eForms notice taxonomy. Where the four lifecycle categories (planning, competition, direct award prenotification, result) describe the phase of a procurement procedure, notice subtypes precisely identify the specific type of notice within each phase and the specific directive and procedure type it serves.

What are Notice Subtypes?

The eForms SDK defines 40 notice subtypes, each identified by a numeric code (for example, subtype 2 for a Prior Information Notice under the standard directives, subtype 16 for a Contract Notice for utilities procedures, subtype 29 for a Contract Award Notice under the defence directive). Each subtype determines:

• Which EU Directive(s) govern the procedure (2014/24/EU for general public contracts, 2014/25/EU for utilities, 2014/23/EU for concessions, or 2009/81/EC for defence).
• Which phase of the lifecycle the notice represents.
• Which business term fields are mandatory, optional, conditional, or not applicable.
• Which controlled vocabulary values are permitted for the procedure type field.

The subtype system replaces the legacy Standard Form numbering (SF1, SF2, SF3, and so on) with a more systematic classification that reflects the full breadth of the EU procurement notice universe, including notice types that had no clear legacy standard form equivalent (such as the Buyer Profile Notice or the Direct Award Prenotification).

For contracting authorities and e-procurement system providers, the notice subtype is the key configuration parameter that drives the eForms validation process. When a contracting authority submits a notice to TED, the Notice Publication ID assigned upon publication includes the subtype as part of the notice record. The Procurement Procedure Identifier links notices of different subtypes that form part of the same procurement procedure.

Why notice subtypes matter for bidders

Notice subtypes are the filtering mechanism that makes TED searches precise. When searching for Contract Notices in a specific sector, filtering by the correct subtype ensures you retrieve genuine calls for competition rather than planning notices, award notices, or modification notices that would clutter your results.

Understanding which subtypes correspond to which procurement activities also helps you interpret the lifecycle of a specific procurement. If TED shows a subtype 2 (planning notice) followed by a subtype 16 (competition notice) with the same procedure identifier, you can see the full history of that procurement and understand whether it followed the standard lifecycle.

For procurement platforms and data analysts, notice subtypes are essential for building accurate market intelligence models: comparing award values requires using only result-phase subtypes, not planning or competition subtypes that record estimates.

Example

A Croatian IT company searching TED for software development opportunities in Poland configures its search to return only competition-phase subtypes (specifically subtype 16 and subtype 17, covering open and restricted procedure Contract Notices under Directive 2014/24/EU). This filters out planning notices (which signal intent but have no submission deadline) and result notices (which record past awards). The filtered results give a clean pipeline of live opportunities for bid/no-bid assessment.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where can I find the full list of eForms notice subtypes?

The complete list of 40 notice subtypes is published in the eForms SDK documentation, maintained by the Publications Office of the EU. Each subtype is documented with its applicable directives, permitted fields, and lifecycle phase.

Do all notice subtypes apply to all EU member states?

The subtype applicability depends on the directives each member state has transposed and the sectors present in their economy. Most subtypes apply universally across EU member states. Utilities subtypes apply only where utilities sector buyers operate; defence subtypes apply to defence procurement under the relevant national framework.

Has the subtype system changed since eForms was introduced?

The SDK is versioned, and subtype definitions can evolve between SDK versions. However, the core set of 40 subtypes has been relatively stable since the mandatory transition date. Changes are documented in SDK version release notes.