Together with the open procedure, the selective procedure is one of the publicly advertised procedures. The difference is the sequence: instead of every interested supplier submitting a full bid straight away, prequalification comes first. Authorities choose it when they expect many applicants and want to limit the effort of full bids to suitable suppliers, for example in complex IT projects or planning services.
The two stages
In stage one, suppliers submit an application to participate with evidence of the suitability criteria: references, qualifications of key staff, financial capacity and certificates where required. The authority checks suitability and admits those who meet it. It may limit the number admitted as long as effective competition remains. In stage two, the admitted suppliers receive the full documents and submit a bid, which is evaluated against the award criteria.
What suppliers underestimate
The application to participate is not a form but a document in its own right, and in many cases the decisive one. If the authority limits the number and selects by score, reference quality already counts at this stage. Weak reference descriptions, missing confirmations from reference clients or key staff who do not match the required profiles are the most common reasons good suppliers do not get through.
Thresholds and legal protection
Which procedure is permitted from which contract value depends on the thresholds: for the Confederation in the annex to the PPA, for cantons and municipalities in the IVöB. Non-admission in stage one is a decision that can be challenged; anyone who considers it wrong must watch the appeal period, which starts on notification. The rules on procurement appeals apply here too.
Practical consequence
Suppliers who take part in selective procedures regularly should maintain references, CVs and evidence so that an application can be produced in hours rather than days. Tenders appear on simap; deadlines for stage one are often shorter than for a full bid.