🇫🇷 France · Government procurement
How to find and win government tenders in France.
France's public procurement system routes notices through two official platforms — PLACE (marches-publics.gouv.fr) for state-level contracts and BOAMP (Bulletin Officiel des Annonces des Marchés Publics) for the full official register. This guide covers how suppliers navigate both systems, from registration to bid submission.
Four steps to your first France government contract.
1
Register on PLACE and obtain a SIRET number
French public procurement requires a valid SIRET business identifier. Foreign suppliers may need an equivalent registration or a French fiscal presence; check contracting authority requirements before bidding.
2
Find relevant tenders across PLACE and BOAMP
Search by CPV code, contracting authority, region, or contract value. Above EU thresholds, notices appear on BOAMP and TED (Tenders Electronic Daily); below threshold, authorities publish directly on PLACE or their own profile d'acheteur.
3
Submit a compliant electronic bid
France mandates dematerialised submission for most contracts. Download the Dossier de Consultation des Entreprises (DCE), prepare your DC1/DC2 administrative forms and technical offer, and submit before the deadline via the buyer's profile d'acheteur.
4
Track award notices and debrief
Awarded contracts are published on BOAMP and, above EU thresholds, on TED. Request a written debrief from the contracting authority if you are unsuccessful — this is a legal right under French procurement law.
🇫🇷 Live data
Search France government tenders
PLACE (marches-publics.gouv.fr) serves as the national e-procurement portal for central government buyers, while BOAMP is the official gazette publishing all mandatory procurement notices. Above EU financial thresholds, notices must also appear on the European TED database. Below-threshold contracts may be published on individual buyer platforms (profils d'acheteurs), so coverage is fragmented across hundreds of local authorities.
EU suppliers can bid freely on French public contracts under EU procurement directives. Non-EU suppliers may face reciprocity conditions on certain contracts, particularly in defence or utilities sectors. No turnover minimum is set in law for most contracts, though individual contracting authorities may impose selection criteria tied to financial capacity.
France's fragmented buyer landscape — central government on PLACE, local authorities on dozens of independent platforms, and mandatory BOAMP notices — makes manual tracking time-consuming. Sell to State indexes French procurement data, with plain-English search and saved tender searches with a daily email alert.
Frequently asked questions
What is PLACE / BOAMP?
PLACE (marches-publics.gouv.fr) is the French state's central e-procurement portal for publishing and managing tender procedures. BOAMP (Bulletin Officiel des Annonces des Marchés Publics) is the official gazette where all mandatory public procurement notices must be published.
Who can bid on French government tenders?
Any business legally established in the EU can bid on French public contracts. Non-EU suppliers are generally admitted but may face restrictions in certain regulated sectors. A valid SIRET or equivalent foreign business registration is required.
Is access to PLACE and BOAMP free?
Yes — PLACE and BOAMP are publicly accessible at no charge. Registering a supplier account on PLACE to participate in tenders is also free.
How can I get alerts for new French tenders via Sell to State?
In Sell to State, create a saved search using keywords, CPV codes, or buyer names relevant to your business. Turn on the alert for the saved tender search: once a day, we email you the number of new open and awarded tenders that match it.
What French procurement data does Sell to State cover?
Sell to State indexes publicly available French government tender and award data, covering notices published through the country's official procurement channels. Search by supplier, buyer, contract type, or keyword across the dataset.
Glossary
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