Public procurement – Applying for a pre-qualification procedure in the freelance sector (VgV)
By taking part in the pre-qualification procedure, engineering firms or other organisations can demonstrate, independently of any specific contract, their qualifications to provide design services for one or more service profiles in the following areas:
- Professional competence
- Integrity
- Capacity
Pre-qualification is the preliminary, contract-independent assessment of supporting documentation against specified criteria.
Forms/Online Services
Responsible authority
the relevant professional body
For engineers in Baden-Württemberg, this is the Baden-Württemberg Chamber of Engineers
Details
Prerequisite
The engineering firm or company (pre-qualified company) is pre-qualified. Pre-qualification requires:
in the case of an engineering firm: at least one of the following must be a member of the Baden-Württemberg Chamber of Engineers
- the owner
- co-owner
in the case of limited companies: at least one member of the Baden-Württemberg Chamber of Engineers must be a member of the board of directors or the management.
Procedure
You must apply for pre-qualification.
- The necessary application form is available to download online.
- Please send the application, signed and with all the necessary details, to the relevant authority.
- An information sheet provides a comprehensive, step-by-step guide to what you need to bear in mind when completing the application. It is also available to download online. Pre-qualification applies to everything that is not project-specific.
- The pre-qualification body will review your documents. If any documents are missing, it will ask you to submit them.
- If the pre-qualification body approves your application and grants pre-qualification, it will add your company to the list of pre-qualified companies on its website.
- Furthermore, the documents and evidence that can be viewed by public contracting authorities upon separate request are filed. The pre-qualified company receives a certificate with a number. In addition to the certificate, a digital stamp indicating the period of validity of the pre-qualification is issued.
Deadlines
Upon receipt and registration of the application, the pre-qualification body shall check it for completeness. If the application is incomplete, it must request the missing information or documents from the applicant within 20 calendar days. The pre-qualification body may set the applicant a reasonable deadline (not less than 20 calendar days) to complete the application. The applicant may request an extension of up to a further 20 calendar days. If the application is not completed within the specified time limit, it will be rejected and removed from the register. A new application may be submitted at any time. The registration is valid for 12 months; thereafter, it may be extended for a further 12 months upon application.
Required documents
- Information and statements you provide yourself about your business (self-declarations)
- A description of the services covered by the certificate
- Third-party liability insurance
- Specialist qualifications
- Reliability, independence and good character
- At least three references per service profile applied for
- Company structure and details of the technical management
- Availability of equipment and technical facilities
- Quality assurance
- Certificates of further training
You must submit this supporting documentation to the Baden-Württemberg Chamber of Engineers (INGBW) once a year.
Note: The application form sets out exactly which self-declarations and supporting documents you must provide.
Costs
- Assessment and initial pre-qualification: 400 EUR (application/assessment fee) + 200 EUR (management fee for the first year)
- Annual re-examination and certificate renewal: EUR 240.00. These costs are incurred only once a year.
- Interim additions or restrictions to the certificate: EUR 240.00 each
Processing time
The deadline for a decision on the application should not exceed 6 weeks. The deadline begins to run as soon as you submit a complete and consistent application to the pre-qualification body.
The pre-qualification body will check your application for completeness once it has received and registered it.
If your application is incomplete, the pre-qualification body must request the missing information or documents from the applicant within 20 calendar days.
The pre-qualification body may set the applicant a reasonable deadline to complete the application. This must not be less than 20 calendar days. The applicant may request an extension of up to a further 20 calendar days.
If you do not complete the application by the deadline, it will be rejected and removed from the register. You may submit a new application at any time.
Miscellaneous
Public procurement law provides for a certificate from the relevant professional body as proof of suitability.
Contracting authorities must recognise this certificate. Nor do contracting authorities have the option of requiring individual proofs of suitability instead, with the exception of proof of payment of taxes, duties or social security contributions. A different rule applies to separate, contract-specific proofs of suitability that are not included in the pre-qualification. The contracting authority may request these at any time.
The company therefore only needs to submit the project-specific requirements for proof of suitability as requested by the contracting authority. At the same time as submitting the certificate, an information sheet for the contracting authority may be provided, which explains the certificate in detail. The information sheet may serve as a reference for the contracting authority in advance.
Pre-qualification in accordance with the Public Procurement Regulation (VgV) may also be accepted by contracting authorities for contracts below the threshold value if, in the relevant procurement procedure, pre-qualification under the VgV is expressly permitted as proof of suitability.
Pre-qualification is supported by:
- the State Property and Building Administration,
- the Ministry of Finance of Baden-Württemberg,
- the Association of District Councils,
- the Association of Towns,
- and the Association of Municipalities of Baden-Württemberg
Legal basis
- § 42 fort folgende Anforderungen an Unternehmen; Eignung
Release note
machine generated, based on the German release by: Ingenieurkammer Baden-Württemberg, 28.05.2026