Public procurement · sources and dates
Montenegro tenders in figures
Public procurement was 12.44% of Montenegro's GDP in 2025, up from 11.38% in 2024 (European Commission). The Law on Public Procurement bars national discrimination, so a foreign company bids on the same terms.
We reply on the next working day. We name the fee in writing, in our reply to your inquiry. Scope and timing are confirmed in writing before work starts.
The law in figures
What the Law on Public Procurement sets
Each line names the article. The tender documentation of each procurement sets the rest.
Equal treatment
A contracting authority may not set conditions that discriminate on national or territorial grounds, or limit bidders by where they are registered (Art. 10)2.
Currency and language
The currency is the euro (Art. 6). The tender documentation and the procedure are in Montenegrin; the authority may prepare the documentation, and allow parts of the bid, in a language used in international trade (Art. 5)2.
When the law's procedures apply
Goods and services from EUR 25,000 and works from EUR 40,000 a year are procured under the procedures of the law (Art. 26 and 27)3. Smaller purchases are simple procurements, run under rules set by the ministry responsible for public procurement (Art. 23)4.
Time to bid in an open procedure
At least 15 days from publication for goods and services under EUR 150,000 and works under EUR 500,000; at least 30 days at or above those values (Art. 54)3.
Bid guarantee
As a rule, required in procurements with an estimated value of EUR 40,000 or more (Art. 96(1)); the authority need not ask for it in a negotiated procedure without prior publication run for extreme urgency (Art. 96(2) with Art. 59(1)(3)). It is set at 2% of the estimated value of the procurement or of the lot (Art. 97)3.
Performance guarantee
Up to 10% of the contract value (Art. 98)2.
What is not on this page
Figures we have not checked at the source
The value of contracts signed in 2025 and 2026, the share of contracts with only one bid, the number of bids per tender and the share of foreign bidders are reported by the Ministry of Finance. The European Commission does not give them. We add each figure here once we have read it in the Ministry's report itself, with the year and the page.
Bidding with us
One tender, read with you
We read the tender documentation with you, check the conditions and guarantees it sets, and prepare the bid file. We name the fee in writing, in our reply to your inquiry.
Before you write: the tender calculator shows the procedure, deadlines and guarantees for a given value, and the checklist for foreign bidders lists the documents, who issues each and what we do with it.
Sources
Primary sources for this page
Checked on
- European Commission, Montenegro 2026 Report, SWD(2026) 694 final, Chapter 5 Public procurement (Council of the EU register, ST 15404/26 ADD 3)
- Law on Public Procurement (Official Gazette of Montenegro 74/19), Arts. 5, 6, 10, 26, 54 and 96-98 (in Montenegrin)
- Law on Public Procurement, amendments (Official Gazette of Montenegro 3/23), Arts. 26, 54, 96 and 97 (in Montenegrin)
- Law on Public Procurement, amendments (Official Gazette of Montenegro 98/26), Arts. 23 and 27 (in Montenegrin)
- Law on Public Procurement, latest amendment (Official Gazette of Montenegro 132/26); it does not change the articles cited on this page (in Montenegrin)
Questions
Public tenders: questions
Can a foreign company bid in public tenders in Montenegro?
Yes. The Law on Public Procurement requires equal treatment of all economic operators and forbids conditions that discriminate on national or territorial grounds, or that limit bidders by their place of registration (Art. 10). The European Commission reports that Montenegro's procurement framework is aligned with the EU acquis; Chapter 5, Public procurement, was provisionally closed in June 2025. Law on Public Procurement (Official Gazette of Montenegro 74/19), Arts. 5, 6, 10, 26, 54 and 96-98 (in Montenegrin) → European Commission, Montenegro 2026 Report, SWD(2026) 694 final, Chapter 5 Public procurement (Council of the EU register, ST 15404/26 ADD 3) →
In what language is a bid submitted?
In the language the tender documentation sets. The procedure runs in Montenegrin; the contracting authority may prepare the documentation in a language used in international trade and may allow parts of the bid on technical characteristics, quality and technical documentation in that language (Art. 5). Read the tender documentation before you plan translations. Law on Public Procurement (Official Gazette of Montenegro 74/19), Arts. 5, 6, 10, 26, 54 and 96-98 (in Montenegrin) →
What guarantees does a bidder need?
From an estimated value of EUR 40,000, the contracting authority must as a rule ask for a bid guarantee (Art. 96(1)); the exception is a negotiated procedure without prior publication run for extreme urgency (Art. 96(2) with Art. 59(1)(3)). The guarantee is set at 2% of the estimated value of the procurement or the lot (Art. 97). The performance guarantee cannot exceed 10% of the contract value (Art. 98). The tender documentation sets the type, validity and conditions of each guarantee. Law on Public Procurement (Official Gazette of Montenegro 74/19), Arts. 5, 6, 10, 26, 54 and 96-98 (in Montenegrin) → Law on Public Procurement, amendments (Official Gazette of Montenegro 3/23), Arts. 26, 54, 96 and 97 (in Montenegrin) →