CPV 550 – Hotel, Restaurant and Retail Trade Services

CPV 550 covers hotel, restaurant, catering and related services procured by public contracting authorities across the EU.

What does CPV 550 cover?

CPV group 550 is the overarching code of division 55 and covers hotel, restaurant, catering and related services. This includes accommodation and lodging, restaurant services, canteen and catering services, and retail trade services in connection with events and public facilities.

In public procurement, division 55 plays a significant role because public contracting authorities regularly procure accommodation and catering services for meetings, seminars, training events and business travel. Large institutions such as federal authorities, universities and clinics often operate their own canteens or put the canteen concession or catering services out to tender Europe-wide.

Particularly relevant are framework contracts for hotel accommodation for public employees, catering for official events and conferences, and training accommodation for government seminars. Canteen and catering contracts for large institutions frequently reach volumes that necessitate a Europe-wide tender. CPV 550 is used as an overarching code when a contract combines multiple service types from division 55. Further information on the CPV system is available from the European Commission (SIMAP) and Regulation (EC) No 213/2008.

Typical Services in CPV 550

Service Type	Example	Contracting Authority
Hotel services	Business travel accommodation, conference hotels	Federal authorities, municipalities
Restaurant services	Catering for events	Authorities, universities
Canteen concession	Operation of a government canteen	Federal, state, local government
Catering services	Conference catering, seminar catering	All public bodies
Event catering	Receptions, celebrations	Municipalities, state authorities

Examples of Tenders with CPV 550

Framework contract for hotel services for a federal authority: A federal authority tenders a framework contract for hotel accommodation and meeting rooms at 15 locations nationwide for its staff, including defined room and conference flat-rate prices, cancellation conditions and electronic booking options.
Catering for university events: A public university awards a two-year contract for the catering of events and conferences in the university operation – from small seminar catering to multi-day international conferences with up to 500 persons.
Canteen operation for a government complex: A federal ministry tenders the operation of its government canteen for 800 lunches daily, including a breakfast offering, coffee bar and catering for internal events.

Current tenders with CPV 550 are published on TED (Tenders Electronic Daily) and on national procurement platforms such as the German Procurement Portal (DTVP).

Who is CPV 550 relevant for?

Public Contracting Authorities

Federal ministries, federal authorities, state and municipal authorities, universities, hospitals and all public institutions with meeting requirements or canteen needs are the main contracting authorities. The procurement of hotel contingents and catering services is often awarded as a multi-year framework contract.

Companies and Bidders

Hotel chains, catering companies, conference centres and hospitality businesses with appropriate capacity and experience in the public sector are typical bidders. References for comparable contracts, evidence of hygiene standards (HACCP), quality management systems and reliability certificates are required. Further information on eligibility requirements and procurement procedures is provided by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK).

How does Bond help with CPV 550?

Tender Match – Automatically Find Tenders (CPV 550)

With tender.match, catering companies and hotel service providers automatically receive all relevant tenders with CPV 550 directly in their dashboard. BOND indexes tenders from over 1,000 procurement portals in the EU – from TED to national platforms and regional contracting authorities. Instead of manually searching dozens of portals every day, matching catering and accommodation contracts are filtered and delivered by industry, competency, region, and company profile. An automated gap analysis immediately shows where the company meets the requirements and where gaps exist. This ensures companies never miss a deadline and can focus on preparing their bids.

Company Match – Find the Right Partners and Suppliers (CPV 550)

For companies looking for suppliers, subcontractors, or consortium partners for catering and accommodation projects, company.match provides direct access to qualified firms from an EU-wide database of over 28 million companies. Especially for larger catering contracts that a single company cannot handle alone, company.match automatically identifies suitable partners for bidding consortia and partial services – increasing the chances of winning the contract.

Frequently Asked Questions about CPV 550

Does procurement law apply to canteen services?

Yes, canteen and catering contracts above EU thresholds must be put out to Europe-wide tender. Below the thresholds, national regulations apply. Canteen concessions can also be awarded as concessions, for which the concession procurement regulation applies.

How do I find tenders with CPV 550?

Tenders are published on TED (Tenders Electronic Daily) for EU-wide procedures and on the German Procurement Portal (DTVP) for national tenders. Bond automatically aggregates all relevant tenders from over 1,000 portals and delivers them filtered by company profile.

What are the requirements for participating in tenders with CPV 550?

Bidders must generally provide an HACCP concept, food safety certifications, references for comparable catering contracts and proof of staff qualifications. Details are governed by the VgV and the UVgO depending on the contract value.