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Missing a requirement costs you the whole tender, ignoring a wish costs points. How to read a programme of requirements.
Checked on 15-09-2026
In the specification, often called the programme of requirements (programma van eisen) or descriptive document, the contracting authority sets out what it wants to buy. PIANOo describes specifying as describing and recording the purchasing need in detail, including the technical or functional minimum requirements the contract must meet. Policy goals, such as sustainable procurement, also find their place here.
The distinction between requirements and wishes determines how you read the document. Requirements are hard, verifiable minimum conditions: if your offer does not meet them, your tender is invalid. Wishes are additional quality aspects on which bidders can set themselves apart; under best price-quality ratio they are worked out in sub-award criteria that earn points. Ignoring a wish costs points, missing a requirement costs the whole tender.
An authority can specify technically or functionally. Technical means a precise description of the work, service or product, with dimensions and properties. Functional means that the intended result, performance or purpose is described and the bidder chooses the solution. Functional specification leaves room for your expertise, but also requires you to explain how your approach achieves the result.
If a requirement refers to a technical standard, the authority should add the words 'or equivalent' and accept an alternative that meets the specifications. Requirements must also be proportionate to the nature and scope of the contract and may not restrict competition disproportionately.
What this means for you: turn the programme of requirements into your own table with three columns: requirement or wish, your answer, and your evidence. Mark every requirement you do not meet, or meet only with an equivalent alternative, and ask about it in time in the question round. That way you see whether the contract is feasible for you before you invest time in writing.
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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