How to bid for public tenders in Cyprus

Cyprus at a glance


Main laws	Law 73(I)/2016 (public sector), Law 140(I)/2016 (utilities), Law 104(I)/2010 (remedies)
Portal	eProcurement at eprocurement.gov.cy, in Greek and English; new system since 3 February 2026
Registration	Economic Operator account on eProcurement, open to companies from any country
EU thresholds (2026–27)	€140,000 central, €216,000 other authorities (goods and services); €5,404,000 works
Small contracts	Direct award up to €7,000; written quotes up to €25,000; invitation to 4 operators up to €80,000
Language	Usually Greek
Works	Cypriot contractor registration or a special licence
Challenges	Tenders Review Authority within 15 days; otherwise the Administrative Court

Where tenders appear

eProcurement. The national platform is eProcurement (e-PPS) at eprocurement.gov.cy, in Greek and English. Use “Recent tenders” or advanced search.
Official Gazette. Notices for contracts below EU thresholds are published in the Official Gazette of the Republic.
TED. Contracts above EU thresholds follow EU publication rules, so they also appear on TED.
Electronic only. Sample 2025 notices make electronic submission mandatory.
A new system went live on 3 February 2026, with the same address and logins. Open tenders and submitted bids were moved across. One law-firm summary says it adds contract management and eAttestations.
Who runs it. The Treasury’s Public Procurement Directorate. Its helpdesk is on +357 22605050, weekdays 08:00–17:00, and it publishes a Best Practices Guide in Greek.

Thresholds and procedures

Above EU thresholds, full EU procedures apply. Below them, Part V of Law 73 sets lighter national rules, without EU time limits or EU publication. Amounts exclude VAT.

Contract value	Procedure
Up to €7,000	Direct award; the buyer must give reasons for its choice
Up to €25,000	Written quotes from a few operators the buyer chooses
Up to €80,000	Invitation to at least 4 operators, with no published notice; at least 7 days to bid
Above that, below EU thresholds	National open, restricted or competitive negotiated procedure; notice in the Official Gazette
From €140,000 (central government goods and services)	Full EU procedures, notice on TED
From €216,000 (other authorities’ goods and services)	Full EU procedures
From €5,404,000 (works, all authorities)	Full EU procedures

Other EU thresholds for 2026–27. €750,000 for social and other specific services. Utilities and defence: €432,000 for goods and services. Concessions: €5,404,000.
Needs outside Cyprus. The 4-operator ceiling rises to the EU threshold for goods and services, and €850,000 for works.
No splitting. Contracts may not be split to stay under a ceiling.
National bid periods. At least 14 days in an open procedure (10 if urgent). Restricted and competitive negotiated procedures allow 14 days to ask to take part, then 14 to bid.
EU bid periods. Open procedures need at least 35 days, or 30 with electronic submission; a prior information notice or justified urgency can cut this to 15. Restricted procedures need 30 days to ask to take part and 30 to bid, 5 fewer with electronic submission.

Who can bid

No local entity needed. We found nothing in Law 73 requiring a Cypriot registration, branch or agent, and eProcurement accepts companies from any country.
Treaty partners. Cyprus is party to the WTO GPA through the EU, which it joined in 2004. Companies from GPA countries and other EU agreement partners get the same treatment as EU companies on covered contracts. Each notice must say whether the contract is GPA-covered.
Everyone else. We couldn’t confirm from primary text the effect of the EU Court’s 2024 Kolin ruling, reported to leave companies from non-agreement countries with no enforceable right to equal access.
No local preference. Reportedly, Law 73 has no domestic price preference or national set-aside.
Language. Documents are usually in Greek, and sample 2025 notices accepted tenders in Greek only. English versions appear mainly for large projects.
ESPD. Buyers must accept the European Single Procurement Document as preliminary evidence in place of certificates.
Building and civil-engineering works.
- Registered contractors only. Works may only go to a registered contractor holding an annual licence for the right class and category.
- EU, EEA and Swiss companies can apply to the Contractors Registration Council for registration.
- Other foreign firms of recognised standing can get a project-specific special licence from the Council of Ministers.
- We couldn’t confirm any amendments to the contractor law after 2013.

Bidding, step by step

Find the tender on eProcurement, TED (above EU thresholds) or the Official Gazette (national notices).
Register as an Economic Operator with your country, VAT number, legal form, registration number and SME status. We couldn’t confirm whether registration carries a fee.
Check the language. Expect Greek, and plan certified translations.
Confirm eligibility. For works, you need Cypriot contractor registration or a special licence before you carry out the work.
Prepare the ESPD and your evidence on exclusion grounds and financial and technical capacity.
Ask questions in time. In national procedures, answers are due 4 days before the deadline (3 if urgent).
Prepare any guarantees the documents require.
Submit electronically on eProcurement before the deadline. We couldn’t confirm whether a qualified electronic signature is required.
Watch the award decision. You have 15 calendar days to challenge it.
Sign the contract and lodge the performance guarantee.

Securities and payment

Guarantees. Standard templates include a tender guarantee or non-withdrawal commitment, a performance guarantee and an advance-payment guarantee. Amounts are set in each tender; we couldn’t confirm any legal percentage.
First works payment. The Engineer certifies no payment until the performance guarantee is submitted and approved.
Goods and services. The buyer should pay within 30 calendar days of payment falling due, unless the contract says otherwise.
Works. Interim certificates are issued within 35 days of your monthly statement and paid within 28 days. The final certificate comes within 84 days and is paid within 56 days, unless the contract says otherwise. Advance payments are recovered once certified value passes 30% of the net contract amount.
Late payment carries interest at a rate set by ministerial decree.
Recorded award first. Since July 2025, buyers can’t pay anything before the award results are entered in eProcurement.

How bids are evaluated

Best value. Contracts go to the most economically advantageous tender, judged on price, on cost (including life-cycle costing), or on best price-quality ratio with quality, social and environmental criteria.
Services aren’t price-only. In a Cyprus-specific rule, price or cost can’t be the sole criterion for services unless the buyer documents its reasons.
Engineering services. Below EU thresholds, engineering services (CPV 71000000–71900000, except 71550000) worth €50,000 or more must use best price-quality ratio.
Where to look. Criteria and weightings are in section 5.1.10 of each notice.
In practice, committees reportedly assess technical merit first, then price.

Challenging a decision

Where. The Tenders Review Authority (TRA) hears all contracts at or above EU thresholds, plus national works contracts and concessions of €1,000,000 or more. Below-threshold goods and services, and national works under €1 million, go to the Administrative Court. You can also go straight to the court.
Deadlines, which can’t be extended:
- 15 calendar days from the day after a decision was sent electronically (otherwise 15 days from sending or 10 from receipt);
- 10 calendar days from publication to challenge tender terms and specifications.
Standstill. The contract can’t be signed during the 15-day period plus the TRA’s 2 working days. If you file, the bar continues until the TRA rules on interim measures, within 5 working days of notifying the buyer.
The guarantee. Since Law 189(I)/2025, you must file a solemn declaration that you’ll provide a guarantee, or your request for interim measures is rejected. If the buyer objects and the TRA grants the measures, you lodge 1% of the estimated value, capped at €50,000 (€10,000 if no value is set), within 5 working days, or the measure lapses. You lose it if the buyer’s decision is upheld, and get it back within 10 working days if it’s annulled or you withdraw.
Fee. A fee is paid on filing. A 2021 law-firm note reportedly gave a scale linked to tender value, or €5,000 where no award was made. We couldn’t confirm the current schedule.
Decision. The TRA decides within 45 calendar days of the hearing ending, and can annul decisions, amend terms or declare contracts ineffective.
After the TRA. Its decisions can be challenged in the Administrative Court within 75 days; we couldn’t confirm whether the 2023 court reform changed this. After an annulment, you can sue the buyer for damages.

What changed in 2025–2026

4 July 2025: small-contract ceilings were set at €7,000 / €25,000 / €80,000 (one summary says they were €2,000–5,000, €15,000 and €50,000). Written quotes became mandatory, and no payment can precede recording results in eProcurement.
25 July 2025: amended regulations set deadlines for handling contract changes and claims, and reformed the committee that decides debarment.
7 November 2025: Law 189(I)/2025 was published, raising the TRA threshold for national works and concessions from €500,000 to €1 million and introducing the interim-measures guarantee. One law firm dates it to 15 December 2025.
1 January 2026: new EU thresholds took effect, valid until 31 December 2027.
3 February 2026: the new eProcurement system went live.
First half of 2026: Cyprus held the EU Council Presidency.
July 2026: new guidance on small contracts and contract splitting, and a bulletin explaining Law 189(I)/2025.

Live Cypriot tenders

Questions

Do I need a Cypriot company or registration to bid?

No. We found no requirement in Law 73 for a local company, branch or agent, and eProcurement registers companies from any country. Works are the exception: they need a registered Cypriot contractor or a special licence from the Council of Ministers.

Can companies from outside the EU bid in Cyprus?

Companies from WTO GPA countries and other EU agreement partners get the same treatment as EU companies on covered contracts. For other countries, we couldn’t confirm the reported effect of the EU Court’s 2024 Kolin ruling, which leaves their admission to the buyer.

Can I bid in English in Cyprus?

Usually not. Documents are usually in Greek, and sample 2025 notices accepted Greek only. Check the notice’s language field; some large projects also publish in English.

How long do I get to prepare a bid in Cyprus?

Above EU thresholds, at least 35 days in an open procedure, or 30 with electronic submission. Below them, at least 14 days in a national open procedure, or 10 if urgent. Invitations to at least 4 operators, up to €80,000, allow at least 7 days.

How do I challenge a Cypriot tender award?

Apply to the Tenders Review Authority within 15 calendar days of an electronically sent decision, or 10 days from publication to challenge tender terms. It hears contracts above EU thresholds and national works or concessions of €1 million or more; otherwise, go to the Administrative Court.

Do I need a guarantee to suspend a Cypriot tender?

Yes, since Law 189(I)/2025. If interim measures are granted over the buyer’s objection, you lodge 1% of the estimated value, capped at €50,000 (€10,000 if no value is set), within 5 working days. You lose it if the buyer’s decision is upheld.

Sources

This guide explains the rules in plain English; it isn’t legal advice. Procurement rules change, and each tender document sets its own conditions — it always prevails.