How to Fill Out the ESPD: Step-by-Step Guide for Public Procurement Bidders

The European Single Procurement Document (ESPD) is a mandatory self-declaration form used in all EU public procurement procedures above the EU thresholds. Introduced by EU Directive 2014/24/EU and standardized by Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2016/7, the ESPD replaced a patchwork of national pre-qualification documents with a single, unified form accepted across all 27 EU Member States plus EEA countries.

In this comprehensive tutorial, we walk you through every section of the ESPD form using Tendersight's free interactive ESPD Guide tool. Whether you're a first-time bidder or an experienced contractor, this guide will help you fill out the ESPD correctly, avoid common rejection pitfalls, and submit with confidence.

What Is the ESPD and Why Does It Matter?

The ESPD is a formal self-declaration in which your company confirms that:

• It is not subject to exclusion grounds (e.g., criminal convictions, tax debts, bankruptcy)
• It meets the selection criteria set by the contracting authority (e.g., financial capacity, technical experience, professional qualifications)
• If applicable, it fulfills the objective rules for shortlisting in restricted procedures

Key facts about the ESPD:

• It is accepted in all EU/EEA countries as preliminary evidence of eligibility
• Only the winning bidder must provide full supporting documents — the ESPD saves everyone else the paperwork
• Since 2018 (October), the e-ESPD (electronic format) is mandatory for above-threshold procedures
• Many national platforms (e.g., SICAP in Romania, BKMS in Germany) integrate ESPD generation into their submission flow

How Tendersight's ESPD Guide Works

Our free ESPD Guide tool is an interactive, browser-based walkthrough of the complete ESPD form. It mirrors the official EU ESPD structure across all six parts, with built-in guidance for each field.

Key features of the tool:

• Step-by-step navigation through all 6 parts with a sidebar progress tracker
• Completion progress percentage for each section so you know what's still missing
• Import/Export functionality — save your progress as JSON and reload it anytime
• Print-ready output — generate a clean printable version of your completed ESPD
• Field-level hints explaining what each field means and how to fill it correctly
• Available in 12 languages matching the EU procurement ecosystem

Part I: Information About the Procurement Procedure

Part I identifies which procurement procedure you are responding to and who the contracting authority is. This section links your ESPD to a specific tender.

Section 1: Information About Publication

This subsection references the contract notice in the Official Journal of the EU (OJS/TED).

1. Notice number in the OJS — Enter the publication reference in the format YYYY/S NNN-NNNNNN. You'll find this on TED (Tenders Electronic Daily) or on the national procurement platform where the notice was published.
2. OJS URL — The direct link to the contract notice on TED. This is optional but helps identify the exact notice.
3. National Official Journal — If the procurement was not published on TED (below-threshold or national-only), enter the reference from the national gazette.

💡 Tip: If you found the tender through Tendersight, the OJS reference number is displayed on the tender detail page. Copy it directly from there.

Section 2: Identity of the Procurer

1. Official name (required) — The full legal name of the contracting authority, exactly as it appears in the contract notice. Example: "Municipality of Amsterdam" or "European Commission, DG DIGIT".
2. Country (required) — Select the EU/EEA member state where the contracting authority is based.

Section 3: Information About the Procurement Procedure

1. Type of procedure — Select from: Open procedure, Restricted procedure, Competitive procedure with negotiation, Competitive dialogue, Innovation partnership, or Other. This must match what's stated in the contract notice.
2. Title (required) — The exact title of the procurement procedure as stated in the contract notice. Copy this verbatim to avoid mismatches.
3. Short description — A brief summary of the contract scope. Usually available in the contract notice abstract.
4. File reference number — The contracting authority's internal reference. This is stated in the contract notice header.

⚠️ Common mistake: Bidders sometimes enter the wrong procedure type or misspell the title. Both can cause your submission to be rejected on formal grounds. Always copy-paste from the original notice.

Part II: Information About the Economic Operator

Part II is about your company. This is the most data-intensive section because it establishes your legal identity, contact details, and organizational structure for the procurement.

Section A: Company Identification

Fill in all fields about your company. Required fields are marked with an asterisk (*).

1. Company name (*) — Your company's full registered legal name.
2. Street address, postal code, city, country (*) — Your registered office address (not a PO Box).
3. Website, email, phone — Company website and main contact details. The email should be a monitored address.
4. Contact person — The person handling this procurement, including their name and direct contact details.
5. VAT number / National ID — Your company's VAT registration number and/or national business registry ID (e.g., CUI in Romania, HRB in Germany, SIRET in France).
6. Is the company an SME? — Answer Yes/No according to the EU definition: fewer than 250 employees AND annual turnover ≤ €50 million OR balance sheet total ≤ €43 million. Many tenders have SME-specific provisions.

Section B: Authorized Representatives

Enter details of the person(s) legally authorized to represent the company in this procurement. Typically this is the CEO, managing director, or a person with specific power of attorney.

• Full name, date and place of birth
• Contact details (address, email, phone)
• Position/role in the company
• Additional info — mention specific powers of attorney or board resolutions

Section C: Reliance on Other Entities' Capacities

If your company does not alone meet the selection criteria (e.g., minimum turnover, specific experience), you can rely on other entities. Answer Yes if you plan to use another company's capacities. If Yes, those entities must also submit a separate ESPD.

Section D: Subcontracting

Declare whether you intend to subcontract any part of the contract. If Yes, list the proposed subcontractors. Note that some tenders require subcontractors to also provide their own ESPD.

Part III: Exclusion Grounds

Part III is the most critical section for compliance. Here you declare that your company and its directors/representatives have no disqualifying issues. Getting this wrong — or failing to disclose relevant information — can result in exclusion and potentially a ban from future EU tenders.

Section A: Criminal Convictions (Mandatory Grounds)

Based on Article 57(1) of Directive 2014/24/EU, you must declare whether the economic operator or any member of its administrative/management/supervisory body has been convicted of:

1. Participation in a criminal organisation — As defined in Article 2 of Council Framework Decision 2008/841/JHA.
2. Corruption — Including bribery of public officials (Article 3 of the Convention on the fight against corruption).
3. Fraud — Within the meaning of Article 1 of the Convention on the protection of EU financial interests.
4. Terrorist offences — As defined in Framework Decision 2002/475/JHA.
5. Money laundering or terrorist financing — As defined in Directive 2005/60/EC.
6. Child labour or trafficking in human beings — As defined in Directive 2011/36/EU.

For each criterion, answer Yes or No. If you answer Yes, additional fields appear:

• Date of conviction
• Reason/nature of the offence
• Who was convicted (individual or legal entity)
• Duration of the exclusion period
• Self-cleaning measures — Describe remedial actions taken (e.g., compensation paid, compliance programs implemented, personnel changes)

💡 Self-cleaning is key: Under Article 57(6), even with a conviction, you may still be eligible if you can demonstrate sufficient self-cleaning measures. Our tool guides you through documenting these properly.

Section B: Tax and Social Security Obligations

Based on Article 57(2), declare whether your company has breached its obligations related to:

• Payment of taxes — Has the company fulfilled all tax obligations? If not, provide: the country concerned, the amount, how it was established (judicial decision or other means), and whether you've since fulfilled the obligations.
• Payment of social security contributions — Same structure as above. Common examples: unpaid health insurance, pension fund contributions, or unemployment insurance.

Section C: Insolvency, Conflicts of Interest, and Professional Misconduct

This section covers 10 optional exclusion grounds under Article 57(4). Each is a Yes/No question:

• Environmental law obligations
• Social law obligations
• Labour law obligations
• Bankruptcy or insolvency proceedings
• Grave professional misconduct
• Agreements distorting competition
• Conflict of interest — This applies if persons within the contracting authority have a relationship with your company that could influence the award.
• Involvement in preparing the procedure — Did your company or an affiliated entity help prepare the procurement documents?
• Early termination of a prior public contract — Were you terminated from a previous public contract due to significant deficiencies?
• Guilty of misrepresentation — Have you withheld or misrepresented information in previous ESPD submissions?

Section D: National Exclusion Grounds

Some EU countries have additional national-level exclusion grounds beyond the EU Directive. The contracting authority will specify these in the procurement documents. Declare any relevant national grounds here.

Part IV: Selection Criteria

Part IV demonstrates that your company meets the qualitative requirements set by the contracting authority. These are the positive criteria — the minimum thresholds of capability and experience you must meet to be considered.

α: Global Indication (Shortcut)

Before filling in individual criteria, you can answer the global question: "Does the economic operator satisfy all selection criteria?" If you answer Yes, you're stating that your company meets everything — but you should still be prepared to provide specific evidence if requested. Use this shortcut only if you're confident.

Section A: Suitability (Professional Qualifications)

• Enrolled in a professional register — e.g., Chamber of Commerce, trade registry. Name the register and provide evidence.
• Enrolled in a trade register — Separate from professional registers; this covers business registration.
• Service-specific authorisation needed? — For regulated services (e.g., engineering, security, transport).
• Particular membership required? — Some contracts require membership in specific professional bodies.

Section B: Economic and Financial Standing

Based on Article 58(3) of the Directive. The contracting authority may set requirements such as:

• General yearly turnover — Your total annual revenue for a specified number of financial years (typically the last 3 years). Maximum threshold allowed: 2× the contract value.
• Specific yearly turnover — Revenue specifically in the business area covered by the contract.
• Financial ratios — e.g., current ratio > 1.0, debt-to-equity ratio, profitability margins as specified.
• Professional risk indemnity insurance — The insured amount. Common for consulting, engineering, and IT contracts.
• Other economic requirements — Any additional financial criteria stated in the procurement documents.

Section C: Technical and Professional Ability

This is usually the most important selection section. Criteria include:

• Past similar contracts/references — Provide details of prior contracts of similar nature and value. Include: client name, contract value, date, and a description of what was delivered. Typically 3-5 references are required.
• Technical staff and qualifications — CVs and qualifications of key team members who will execute the contract.
• Quality assurance standards — ISO 9001, ISO 14001, or equivalent certifications.
• Supply chain management — For supply and works contracts: description of facilities, tools, and equipment available.
• Educational and professional qualifications — Of the service provider or its managerial staff.
• Environmental management standards — EMAS, ISO 14001, or national equivalents.

Part V: Reduction of the Number of Qualified Candidates

Part V applies only in restricted procedures, competitive procedures with negotiation, competitive dialogue, and innovation partnerships — where the contracting authority shortlists candidates after the pre-qualification stage.

If applicable, declare that you meet the specific objective and non-discriminatory criteria or rules stated in the contract notice for reducing the number of candidates. The procurement documents will specify these criteria (e.g., "top 5 by turnover" or "highest reference scores").

Part VI: Concluding Statements

Part VI is the formal declaration. By completing this section, you legally confirm that:

1. All information in Parts I through V is accurate and truthful
2. You can provide supporting documents upon request from the contracting authority
3. You consent to the contracting authority accessing supporting documents directly from national databases (where applicable)
4. You acknowledge that providing false information may lead to exclusion from this and future procurement procedures

⚠️ Important: In most EU countries, knowingly providing false declarations in the ESPD constitutes a criminal offence (fraud or forgery of public documents). Always ensure accuracy.

Using the Import/Export Feature

Our ESPD Guide supports Import and Export of your form data as JSON. This means you can:

• Save your progress and continue later — no registration required
• Reuse company data across multiple tender applications — export once, import into each new ESPD
• Share with colleagues — send the JSON file to a teammate to review or complete
• Print a clean copy — use the Print function to generate a formatted PDF-ready version

10 Most Common ESPD Mistakes (and How to Avoid Them)

1. Wrong procedure reference — Always copy the OJS number and title exactly from the contract notice.
2. Incomplete Part II — Missing VAT number or national ID is a common grounds for request for clarification.
3. Not disclosing past convictions — If you answer No falsely and it's later discovered, you face exclusion + potential criminal charges.
4. Ignoring self-cleaning — If you have a past issue, document the remedial measures. Many contracting authorities accept them.
5. Tax debts not declared — Even small tax debts should be declared. Include evidence of payment arrangements.
6. Using the global indication without specifics — Part IV's α shortcut is convenient but risky. If you can't back it up with specifics, provide detailed answers instead.
7. Not updating the ESPD per tender — Each tender may have different selection criteria. Don't submit a generic ESPD.
8. Missing subcontractor ESPDs — If the tender requires it, each subcontractor needs their own ESPD.
9. Outdated references — Ensure your references/contracts are within the timeframes specified (usually last 3-5 years).
10. Not signing/dating Part VI — When printing, ensure the concluding statement is properly dated and signed by the authorized representative.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the ESPD the same in every EU country?

The structure is standardized across the EU, but each country may add national exclusion grounds (Part III, Section D). Additionally, some countries use localized versions or integrate the ESPD into their e-procurement platforms (e.g., eCertis, SICAP, BKMS).

Can I reuse the same ESPD for multiple tenders?

You can reuse your company information (Part II) and exclusion ground declarations (Part III), but Part I must always match the specific tender you're applying to, and Part IV should reflect the specific selection criteria. Our tool's Export/Import feature makes this easy — export a 'template' and adjust per tender.

What happens if I make a mistake in the ESPD?

Contracting authorities can request clarifications or corrections of the ESPD under Article 56(3) of the Directive. However, this is at their discretion — they are not obligated to give you a chance to fix errors. It's always better to get it right the first time.

Do I need to submit supporting documents with the ESPD?

No, the ESPD is self-declaration only. Supporting documents (certificates, financial statements, reference letters) are only requested from the winning bidder before the contract award. However, contracting authorities may request them from any bidder at any stage for verification.

Is the electronic ESPD (e-ESPD) mandatory?

For above-threshold EU procurements, yes — since October 18, 2018, e-ESPD has been mandatory. For below-threshold or national procurements, it depends on national legislation. Our tool produces a structured format compatible with both electronic and printed submission.

Start Filling Out Your ESPD Now

Ready to complete your ESPD? Open Tendersight's free interactive ESPD Guide and work through each section with built-in guidance. You can save your progress, export the completed form, and print it — all without creating an account.

For a more powerful procurement workflow — including automated ESPD pre-filling, AI-powered bid writing, and real-time tender matching — explore Tendersight's platform.