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An average of 3.4 bids per open tender in the first half of 2024, against 4.2 in 2017. In works, the share with a single bid grew.
Checked on 15-09-2026
TenderNed analysed how many bids tenders receive on average and published the result on 9 September 2024. In the first half of 2024 the average fell from 3.6 to 3.4 bids per open tender. In 2017 it was still 4.2.
The trend is not a straight line: 4.1 in 2018, 3.7 in 2019, 4.2 in 2020, 3.8 in 2021, 3.3 in 2022 and 3.6 in 2023. The direction over the whole period is clear, though: fewer bids per open tender than seven years earlier.
According to TenderNed, the group of tenders with two to five bids has remained fairly stable over the years. Tenders with a single bid are gradually increasing, at the expense of tenders with many bidders. This is clearest in works: there the share with a single bid more than doubled, from 4% in 2017 to 10% in 2024.
A caveat: these are averages across all sectors and contract types, and the picture can differ considerably per field. Moreover, according to Statistics Netherlands (CBS), TenderNed does not see every company that bids on an open tender, because not every procedure runs entirely through the platform.
What this means for you: in an average open tender you compete with two or three other parties, not with dozens. It says nothing about your chances in a particular tender: those depend on the knock-out criteria, the award criteria and who else bids. So look at the requirements and at who won before in each tender, not at the national average.
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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