How much competition does a tender for IT services in Portugal face?
A median of 3 bids per procedure; 28% of procedures ended with a single bidder (739 awards with a bid count). National average for Portugal across all sectors: 2.6 bids.
Search open tenders in this sector · Country guide Portugal
The market norm in numbers
| Metric | Sector | National average | Sample |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bids per procedure (median) | 3 | 2.6 | 739 |
| Procedures with a single bidder | 28 % | 40 % | 739 |
| Awards to a repeat winner | 49 % | 34 % | 1,280 |
| Distinct winners | 559 | 10,332 | 1,292 |
| Awards to companies from abroad | 8 % | 6 % | 1,292 |
| Award relative to estimate (median) | 92 % | 95 % | 620 |
| Notice to award (median) | – | – | 0 |
| Bids from SMEs | – | 255 % | 8 |
| Bids from abroad | – | 31 % | 8 |
| Weight of price in award criteria (median) | – | – | 0 |
How to read these numbers
Of 27 sectors in Portugal with a bid count, IT services ranks 10 for competition. A fifth to a third of procedures have one bidder — a bid pays off even without the best price. 49% of awards went to companies that had already won with the same buyer — buyers switch often here.
Other sectors in the same country
- Medical equipment & pharma1 · 4,654
- Office & computing machinery2 · 1,014
- Construction work5 · 1,011
- Transport equipment3 · 928
- Environment & sanitation5 · 772
- Architecture & engineering5 · 726
- Business services3 · 613
- Laboratory & optical equipment2 · 575
- Repair & maintenance2 · 562
- Transport services1 · 537
- Furniture & furnishings5 · 481
- Software & IT systems1 · 476
Frequently asked questions
How many bidders does a tender for IT services in Portugal get?
A median of 3 bids per procedure, measured on 739 awards with a bid count since 2018. 28% of procedures had a single bidder.
How often does the incumbent win in Portugal?
49% of awards in IT services went to a company that had already won with the same buyer.
Do foreign companies stand a chance in Portugal for IT services?
8% of awards went to companies based outside Portugal.
What share of the estimate does the winner get in IT services?
The award came in at a median 92% of the estimated value.
How much does price count for IT services in Portugal?
Not enough weighted notices for this sector yet.
Where the numbers come from
From the documented awards of every portal we read (TED and the national portals), aggregated every night. Bid counts come from the award notices themselves (TED BT-759, PLACSP, OCDS, Hilma, ANAC); incumbency counts whether the winner had won with the same buyer before; abroad means the winner's country differs from the buyer's. Metrics below the minimum sample are not shown.
As of 08/09/2026 · n = 1,292