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68% of contracts go to SMEs. When both SMEs and large companies bid, SMEs win in 47% of cases and large companies in 34%.
Checked on 15-09-2026
TenderNed studied to whom tenders are awarded and published the result on 18 December 2023. Of all contracts, 68% go to SMEs and 32% to large companies. Micro-enterprises account for about 10% of all awards. This concerns the number of contracts, not their value: according to research firm SEOR, it is not known how the revenue from tenders is distributed.
The picture depends on who bids. In 41% of tenders only SMEs bid, in 15% only large companies, and in 44% a mix. In those mixed cases SMEs win in 47% of cases and large companies in 34%; the remaining 19% go to a combination. TenderNed concludes that SMEs then have the same chance as large companies.
Contract size plays a role. SMEs more often focus on contracts of €100,000 to €1 million, large companies on contracts of €1 million to €100 million. Based on the same study, SEOR notes that smaller contracts mostly go to SMEs and that dividing a tender into lots increases the chance that an SME wins part of the contract.
SEOR adds a caveat in its report Positie van het mkb (Position of SMEs, November 2024): 99% of companies are SMEs, and a large share of them do not compete because of entry barriers and high requirements. Statistics Netherlands (CBS) also found that the chance of an award is lower in sectors where many companies bid, such as construction, and that more productive companies win more often.
What this means for you: winning is not reserved for large companies. SMEs win most contracts, especially in the segment up to about €1 million and in tenders divided into lots. These are figures about the market, not a forecast for your bid: your chances depend on the requirements, the competition in your sector and the quality of what you submit.
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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