“Public procurement? That’s not for us.” It’s a reaction we regularly hear at TenderWolf — and one that costs companies thousands of euros in missed revenue. The Belgian government spends approximately €50 billion annually through public procurement: from road maintenance and software to office supplies and consultancy. That’s about 14% of GDP. And the lion’s share of those contracts goes to SMEs.

The Government as a Customer: More Stable Than You Think

The government is the largest client in the country. Federal, regional, provincial, and municipal — together, Belgian contracting authorities publish tens of thousands of contracts annually on the e-Procurement platform. And as a client, the government has characteristics that many private companies would envy.

Payment Security

The government pays. Period. The law requires contracting authorities to settle invoices within 30 days, and late payment automatically incurs default interest. The risk of non-payment is virtually non-existent — a luxury you rarely have in the private market.

Long-Term Contracts

Framework agreements typically run 2 to 4 years, with optional extensions. That means a predictable income stream you can plan with, invest in, and hire staff for. One well-won framework agreement can transform a company.

References as a Springboard

A government contract on your track record opens doors. Other contracting authorities see it as a quality stamp: you’ve proven you meet strict selection criteria, can handle execution, and work transparently. With two or three government references under your belt, you become a serious candidate for every subsequent contract.

Fair Competition

This is perhaps the biggest advantage: in public procurement, the content of your submission matters, not your network. The law requires transparent selection and award criteria that are known in advance. A well-prepared SME with a sharp submission regularly beats a multinational with a lazy bid. The numbers confirm this: SMEs win 71% of all European public contracts by number.

Which Sectors Have Contracts?

Almost every sector has a government market:

IT and digitalization — software development, cloud infrastructure, cybersecurity, licenses
Construction and infrastructure — renovation, new construction, road maintenance, utilities
Healthcare and welfare — medical equipment, home care services, aids
Facility services — cleaning, catering, security, grounds maintenance
Advisory and consultancy — legal, financial, organizational, HR
Communication and marketing — campaigns, printing, events
Transport and logistics — vehicles, fuel, courier services

Regardless of your specialization: chances are somewhere in Belgium a contracting authority is looking for exactly what you offer.

The Barriers Are Lower Than You Think

Many entrepreneurs drop out based on misconceptions that no longer hold:

“Too much paperwork.” The European Single Procurement Document (ESPD) drastically simplifies the selection phase. You fill in a self-declaration; only after award do you need to provide supporting documents.

“Only for big companies.” Contracting authorities are required to justify why contracts above €143,000 are not divided into lots. And the minimum turnover requirement may not exceed twice the contract value. This makes contracts accessible to smaller players.

“Too complex.” The basic procedures — open procedure and simplified negotiated procedure with prior publication — are clearly structured. With the right tools and some practice, it becomes routine.

The Challenge: Finding the Right Contracts

The real problem isn’t complexity, but discoverability. Belgian public contracts are published on:

e-Procurement (e-Notification) — the central Belgian publication platform
TED (Tenders Electronic Daily) — for contracts above the European threshold
Individual contracting authority websites — some municipalities and intermunicipal associations also publish locally
Bulletin of Tenders — historical publication channel

Manually keeping track of all these sources is a full-time job. And if you discover a contract too late, the submission deadline has often already passed.

How TenderWolf Helps You

TenderWolf bundles all Belgian public contracts on one platform. You set up your search profile once — sector, region, CPV codes, contract size — and receive a daily overview of relevant contracts in your inbox. With the AI quick-scan, you assess in seconds whether a contract is worth pursuing.

No more manual searching. No more missed deadlines. No more opportunities slipping through your fingers.

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The government invests billions every year. With TenderWolf, you find the contracts that suit you.

Why You Shouldn't Ignore Public Procurement as an Entrepreneur