TED API

The TED API is the machine-readable access layer for TED (Tenders Electronic Daily), the EU's official above-threshold procurement publication platform. It allows software systems, procurement intelligence tools, and analytical applications to query TED notice data in real time using structured HTTP requests rather than screen-scraping the web interface. The API is operated by the TED Publication Office and is free to use after registration.

What is the TED API?

The TED API follows REST conventions and returns notice data in standard formats including JSON and XML. It exposes endpoints for:

• Notice search. Query notices using the same filters available in TED Search: CPV codes, country, date range, notice type, buyer identifier, and keyword.
• Notice retrieval. Fetch the full content of a specific notice by its TED reference number, including all structured fields and the original XML representation.
• Change monitoring. Retrieve notices published or modified after a given timestamp, enabling systems to maintain a continuously updated local copy of TED data without re-fetching the entire archive.
• Award data. Access structured contract award notice data, including awarded values, winning supplier details, and number of tenders received.

Notices on TED are structured according to the eForms standard, which became mandatory for EU member states in October 2023. eForms is a machine-readable XML schema that standardises notice fields across all procurement types and EU directives, making API-delivered data significantly more structured and queryable than the older OJEU form formats it replaced.

The API supports OAuth2 authentication. Rate limits apply to prevent abuse, but registered users receive a generous quota suitable for continuous monitoring workloads. For very large historical data needs, TED Data Download may be more efficient than repeated API calls.

Why it matters for bidders

For procurement software platforms and larger organisations that monitor TED systematically, the TED API is the foundation of automated opportunity detection. An integration with the TED API enables a system to ingest new contract notices within minutes of publication, classify them by sector and value, and route relevant opportunities to the right business development contacts without any manual searching.

The API's structured award data is equally valuable for competitive intelligence: which suppliers are winning, at what price points, and with which buyers, all delivered as queryable structured fields rather than unstructured PDF text.

Example

A Polish procurement consultancy builds an internal tool that calls the TED API every hour to fetch notices published in the last hour across ten CPV code ranges relevant to their clients. The tool parses the structured eForms XML, extracts key fields including estimated value, deadline, and buyer contact details, and creates draft opportunity records in the firm's CRM. This replaces a manual TED monitoring process that previously consumed three hours of analyst time per day.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the TED API free?

Yes. Registration is required but there is no charge for API access. Rate limits are enforced, and very high-volume users should consider TED Data Download for bulk historical retrieval.

What format does the API return?

The TED API can return notice data as structured JSON or XML. For notices published under the eForms standard (mandatory from October 2023), the native format is eForms XML, which provides richer structured fields than the older form formats. Legacy notices in older XML formats remain available in their original schema.

Can I use the API to submit notices?

No. The TED API is read-only. Notice submission is handled through the eSender Portal or via accredited eSender intermediaries.