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How you can rely on another company for experience, references or financial standing, and what the contracting authority then asks of you.
Checked on 15-09-2026
A tender often sets suitability requirements: a reference for a comparable contract, a certain financial standing or a professional ability. If your company does not fully meet them, that is not always the end. You can rely on a third party: another company whose experience, references or resources you use, while you remain the bidder yourself.
PIANOo summarises the case law as follows: a bidder may rely on the references, experience or financial resources of a third party, for example a parent or subsidiary company, provided it demonstrates that it can actually dispose of that experience and those resources. According to PIANOo, whether there is a relationship of control between the bidder and the third party is irrelevant. It can therefore also be an independent company with which you make arrangements.
The difference from a consortium is that the third party does not bid alongside you. The third party is still visible, however. In the European Single Procurement Document (ESPD, in Dutch UEA) you indicate in part II C that you rely on other entities, for example for economic and financial standing or technical and professional ability. According to PIANOo, each party you rely on then submits a separate, validly signed ESPD, with the parts that apply to that party.
The reliance has to be real. The contracting authority assesses whether you can actually dispose of the third party's capacity, not only whether that third party has the experience. So record in writing which people, knowledge or resources the third party makes available for this contract, so that you can demonstrate it when the authority asks.
What this means for you: if you lack one reference or narrowly miss a financial requirement, check whether a sister company, regular partner or supplier does have it. Agree before bidding what that party will contribute in concrete terms, have it complete and sign its own ESPD, and bear in mind that the contracting authority will assess that party too. Ask for clarification in the question round if the tender documents do not make clear how reliance on third parties is assessed.
These articles explain how public tendering works; they are not legal advice. If you are unsure about a specific tender, ask your question through the clarification round or consult a lawyer.
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