Participating in public tenders in the Czech Republic can be administratively demanding, especially for foreign companies. One of the best ways to simplify this process is by registering in the List of Approved Economic Operators (in Czech: Seznam kvalifikovaných dodavatelů), managed by the Czech Ministry of Regional Development.
Here is a brief overview of the conditions and requirements for foreign suppliers.
Benefits and Validity
- 1-Year Validity: An extract from this list is valid for one year.
- Simplified Tendering: During this validity period, you do not need to repeatedly submit basic and professional qualification documents (such as criminal records or tax clearance) for each individual public tender. The contracting authority will simply check your registration online.
- Time and Cost Efficiency: Registration pays off especially if your company plans to participate in multiple public tenders throughout the year. It saves you from constantly obtaining and submitting a whole series of documents that have a limited validity period (typically, qualification documents cannot be older than 3 months when submitted).
Registration Requirements for Foreign Entities
Foreign suppliers face a slightly more complex process, as they must prove their qualifications both in their home country and in the Czech Republic.
- Required Documents: You must provide official documents proving your basic and professional qualifications. Typically, this includes:
- Criminal record extracts for the company (legal entity).
- Criminal record extracts for all members of the statutory body (directors).
- Confirmations of no debt from the Tax Authority (both in your home country and the Czech Republic).
- Confirmations of no debt regarding health insurance and social security (both in your home country and the Czech Republic).
- An extract from the Commercial Register or equivalent business register.
- An official affidavit (čestné prohlášení): A mandatory declaration confirming compliance with other specific statutory requirements (such as excise duty, or other legal obligations under the Public Procurement Act).
- (Note: If your home country does not issue some of the specific certificates mentioned above, they can generally be replaced by an additional official affidavit).
- Originals Required: All submitted documents must always be originals.
- Language and Translation: All documents submitted by a foreign supplier must be translated into the Czech language. (Exceptions apply for documents issued in Slovak).
- Official Authentication: Depending on international treaties, documents issued by foreign authorities must carry a higher level of authentication—such as an Apostille or Superlegalization—to verify the authenticity of the official’s stamp and signature.
- Administrative Fee: The official state fee for the initial registration is 3,000 CZK.
Maintenance and Renewals
- Annual Renewal: To keep the registration active, it must be renewed every year by March 31st. This requires resubmitting up-to-date documents (with the exception of criminal records, which do not need to be resubmitted if nothing has changed).
- Reporting Changes: Any changes to the registered data (such as a change in company address or a change of directors) must be reported to the Ministry immediately.
Summary
For foreign companies frequently bidding on Czech public contracts, registering in the List of Approved Economic Operators is a highly strategic step. It eliminates the need to repeatedly submit time-sensitive qualification documents for each individual tender. While the initial registration requires gathering original, authenticated, and officially translated documents (including criminal records, tax/social security clearances, and affidavits), the investment quickly pays off by streamlining the bidding process for a full year.
Need assistance with the registration process? Our team is ready to help you navigate the documentation, translations, and communication with Czech authorities to ensure a smooth registration.
