News and Updates

At Mercell, we’re working hard to make the tendering process easier, always improving our products and services to help you work smarter, not harder. In June, we rolled out some new updates for Mercell Tendering, adding support for Structured Documents, and support for additional UK Notices.Let’s dive into the updates: Added support for creating tenders with Structured Documents Added support for two additional UK Notices: UK15 & 16 Discover the updates todayAdded tender support in Structured DocumentsSetting up structured requirements in Mercell Tendering can be cumbersome if you’re more used to working in documents with Microsoft Word or similar software. Tender materials created outside Mercell’s systems will need to be converted to structured requirements. If you skip the conversion, you will receive unstructured responses during evaluation, which will require more work in this step, making the process less efficient. With tender support in Structured Documents we are hoping to mitigate this issue.This is how Mercell Tendering can help youYou and your team will be able to create and publish new tenders for most common notice types with open procedure. The Structured Documents application will help you efficiently build and organize tender creation, making it easier to structure tender materials and evaluate bids effectively. View, save and store documents created with Structure Documents Structured Documents is integrated with MeForms to allow publication of notices with the tender Suppliers can also use Structured Documents to participate in tenders and use it to structure their bid materials Use Structured Documents to make necessary operations in active phases of tenders.Here’s why it matters to youThis update enables you to effectively structure your tender materials with Structured Documents, as well as allowing suppliers to use it to participate in tenders. Added support for UK Dynamic Market NoticesWith this update we are adding additional support for new UK notices, specifically UK15 - Dynamic Market Modification notice and UK16 - Dynamic Market Cessation notice.This is how Mercell Tendering can help youYou’ll be able to start all UK15 and 16 forms related to a Dynamic Market from the dynamic market in question - they’ll be referring to the correct, previous notice, in MeForms UK15 - modification notice to Dynamic Market covers two use cases Possibility to make changes to the Dynamic Market requirements Possibility to report changes to accepted suppliers UK16 - cessation notice allows you to an ongoing Dynamic Market Cancelling separate lots is not currently supported Here’s why it matters to youThis is another step towards being able to publish any form required by UK legislation, enabling you to publish all notices supported by the MeForms solution. Discover the updates todayExperience streamlined tendering. Log in now and explore the improvements. Discover the benefits for yourself.Do you have any feedback, help or questions? Join the conversation and share your thoughts.    

At Mercell, we’re working hard to make the tendering process easier, always improving our products and services to help you work smarter, not harder. In June, we rolled out some new updates for Mercell Tendering, adding a set-up guide for Market Intelligence, and support for opportunity lists.Let’s dive into the updates: Added first-time tutorial for Market Intelligence dashboard filters Create specific opportunity lists Smaller improvement(s) Discover the updates todayTutorials for setting up first-time dashboard filters in Market IntelligenceMarket Intelligence is a powerful tool that offers advanced data visualisations to help  you make smart data-driven decisions in the context of your market of interest. Filters allow you to create dashboards to solve specific queries, and saving them lets you return to the same analysis later. We understand that setting up these dashboard filters can be daunting for first time users, so to get you started we’ve added in a guide to help you create default filters and get started with Market Intelligence.This is how Mercell Bidding can help youThe guide will help you select CPV codes and regions when using the Market Intelligence dashboard for the first time These choices are then saved as a “default view” Changing the filter setup will let you save them as a new name Saved filters can be reapplied when you next visit the dashboardHere’s why it matters to youThis guide will let you easily set up filters in Market Intelligence, serving as a simple and easy to learn tool to quickly get you up and running. Create opportunity listsWe understand that buyers would like to display tenders on their own websites in order to attract additional bids, allowing suppliers to discover opportunities from specific authorities through their own channels. We’re providing that service for you.This is how Mercell Bidding can help youSet up unique, customizable opportunity pages, showcasing tenders using publicly available data The page supports searches, filters, and other features similar to the search feature in Mercell Tendering and BiddingHere’s why it matters to youBuyers can get more information out into the world by making it easy to share active opportunities with suppliers in their own channels. This also helps suppliers find relevant business opportunities. Smaller improvement(s)Fixed and improved several issues related to Mercell Bidding subscriptions and MonetizeNow Implemented updated design for Explore and Monitoring Inbox Added “Apply Filter” button to Market Intelligence. This button will apply all filter selections at once, and then updates the dashboard, creating a smoother and more cohesive experience. Discover the updates todayExperience streamlined bidding]. Log in now and explore the improvements. Discover the benefits for yourself.Do you have any feedback, help or questions? Join the conversation and share your thoughts.  

At Mercell, we’re working hard to make the tendering process easier, always improving our products and services to help you work smarter, not harder. In May, we rolled out some new updates for Mercell Tendering, improving search filters and showing you why your matches are the most relevant to you.Let’s dive into the updates: Additional support for UK Notices: UK 13 & 14 - Dynamic Market UK Dynamic Market - Create UK4 with internal competition Open Framework support for UK markets Extended department support Smaller improvement(s) Discover the updates today Additional support for UK NoticesA new procedure called Dynamic Market has been implemented in the UK per the new UK regulation. This is similar to the Dynamic Procurement System (DPS) used in the EU, under a different name. For the UK market, this feature will be called Dynamic Market in Mercell Tendering and the Supplier Portal, and we’ve now added support for thisCreating a dynamic market starts with creating a UK13 Dynamic Market Intention Notice. Suppliers can start applying for the dynamic market after this has been published. After accepting a supplier, a buyer publishes a UK14 Dynamic Market Establishment Notice. After which the buyer is able to start creating call-offs from the dynamic market. This is how Mercell Tendering can help youCreating a dynamic market starts with creating a UK13 Dynamic Market Intention Notice in Tendering, which is used similarly as a DPS. You can then start applying for the dynamic market after publishing this notice. After accepting a supplier, a buyer publishes a UK14 Dynamic Market Establishment Notice. When someone publishes a UK14 the Dynamic Market is moved to the procurement stage and internal competitions are allowed. When creating an internal competition (call-off) from a dynamic market, the system should then create a UK4 notice, which can then be filled in and published to FTS. Here’s why it matters to youBeing able to publish any form required by UK legislation will enable you to publish all notices supported by the MeForms solution. This update makes the solution compliant to offer a publication method for all relevant forms. Open Framework support for UK marketsUnder the new UK regulations, Frameworks are changing to allow you to reopen frameworks at any time during the tender process. The new procedure is called Open Framework, and allows you to re-open the framework for suppliers to apply to it when the framework has been established. When you re-open the framework you should be able to advertise about it in FTS, but this also requires you to publish a new UK4 tender notice.This is how Mercell Tendering can help youBuyers are now able to reopen an established framework and create, edit, and publish a new UK4 Contract Notice to FTS about it When the framework is reopened, new suppliers can submit bids to it in the Supplier Portal When the framework is reopened, no new mini-competitions can be started. Published mini-competitions can run normally Buyers can choose if suppliers must re-submit their bidsHere’s why it matters to youSupport for the new Open Frameworks procedure allows us and you to be compliant with the UK Procurement Act of 2023.  Extended department supportMercell Tendering allows you to create an organisation hierarchy in user management, but the current version of the platform gives all users of an organisation the ability to view all tenders created for the organisation. From a visibility perspective, this isn’t a desired outcome for bigger organisations. Unless given permission, users in different departments shouldn’t be able to see tenders from other departments. It can cause unnecessary clutter and confusion for people, so we want to attempt to mitigate this.This is how Mercell Tendering can help youDepartment support and organization hierarchy is being implemented in Mercell Tendering.  Each department functions separately from others within the same organisation. Users from different departments can’t see tenders from other departments.Here’s why it matters to youThis change gives bigger organisations who require it comprehensive access and information management. It will also make Mercell Tendering easier to use for those who don’t use the platform as much as others.Smaller improvement(s)Buyers can now choose, per tender, if they want suppliers to view tender material without registering and logging in to Mercell Tendering Discover the updates todayExperience streamlined tendering. Log in now and explore the improvements. Discover the benefits for yourself.Do you have any feedback, help or questions? Join the conversation and share your thoughts. 

At Mercell, we’re working hard to make the bidding process easier, always improving our products and services to help you work smarter, not harder. In May, we rolled out some new updates for Mercell Bidding, improving search filters and showing you why your matches are the most relevant to you.Let’s dive into the updates: Market Intelligence Dashboard Added new search and opportunity filters: Expiring Contracts Contract Awards Threshold value Improved adding CPV codes and keywords Opportunity match reasoning Smaller improvement(s) Discover the updates todayMarket Intelligence DashboardWith this upgrade we are adding a Market Intelligence dashboard so you can more easily evaluate potential business opportunities and make data drive decisions.This is how Mercell Bidding can help youAn embedded dashboard that offers advanced data visualisation views and detailed data can be accessed through Mercell Bidding You can investigate and drill into the data to execute data-driven decisions in the context of your current market or interest Use pre-saved dashboards views/filtering for easier access to the data you needHere’s why it matters to youWith this Market Intelligence Dashboard you can more easily find the data you need in order to evaluate future business opportunities. Added new search and opportunity filtersIn order to improve searing for and monitoring your business opportunities, we’ve now added several new filters to Mercell Bidding’s Explore, Monitoring Inbox, and Saved Opportunities features. We want to add more ways for you to tweak your searches and overviews so they fit your wants and needs.This is how Mercell Bidding can help youA dedicated filter for Expiring Contracts has been added to Explore, Monitoring Inbox, and Saved Opportunities, giving you time to prepare and position yourself for upcoming opportunities. A dedicated filter for Contract Awards has been added to Monitoring Profiles, letting you stay informed about contract awards to monitor contracts that have been awarded without prior notice. Dedicated filters for tender threshold value have been added to Explore. This allows you to create more precise monitoring profiles and makes it easier to find more relevant business opportunities.Here’s why it matters to youYour searches and monitoring profiles can now be more accurate to your specific needs, letting you filter and search for the things you need. With an unlimited number of profiles available to you, the power to find the right tender is right at your fingertips. Improved keyword and CPV code pickerWe’ve felt that the current way you set up keywords and CPV codes in Mercell Bidding can be confusing and overwhelming to use. There’s a lot of data shown at once, which can cause analysis paralysis. This release will address that issue.This is how Mercell Bidding can help youWe’ve improved the way you add CPV codes and keywords, making you able to add the correct search criteria to your profiles, thereby reducing the risk of missing relevant business opportunities.Here’s why it matters to youThe new CPV code and keyword selector removes the clutter, making it easier to find and pick the right CPV codes and keywords. Search results are clearer and selections more intuitive, so you can work faster and easier. Opportunity Match Reasoning Multi-lot opportunities will often contain a large amount of text, making it frustrating to scroll through multiple pages of text to figure out why a specific tender matches the keywords and CPV codes of a monitoring profile. It could be hard to spot the relevance quickly, but we’re making a change to simplify and improve this. This is how Mercell Bidding can help youWe’ve added a new contract award filter to Monitoring Profiles that enables you to choose whether you want to receive contract awards or not in your monitoring profile results.Here’s why it matters to youWith this filter you will now be able to instantly understand why an opportunity matches a Monitoring Profile, with a clear highlighting of relevant keywords and CPV codes. You can also more easily navigate between the matched keywords with specific opportunities.Smaller improvement(s)Stemming is enabled for monitoring profiles without impacting existing keywords. A language selector showing the supported languages is included Administrators can now view all organisation monitoring profiles Discover the updates todayExperience streamlined bidding. Log in now and explore the improvements. Discover the benefits for yourself.Do you have any feedback, help or questions? Join the conversation and share your thoughts.

At Mercell, we’re working hard to make the bidding process easier, always improving our products and services to help you work smarter, not harder. In April, we rolled out some new updates for Mercell Bidding, primarily around how you view and search for notices.Let’s dive into the updates: Find a Tender notices are now available in Notice Viewer You can now more easily search and filter opportunities in My Opportunities Discover the updates todayFind a Tender notices can be opened in Notice ViewerPreviously, we would show you Find a Tender notices in a specific format, and the original notice would be missing from our Notice Viewer. Now suppliers can see the full details of the original Find a Tender notices in Notice Viewer. This is how Mercell Bidding can help youClicking on a Find a Tender notice will open it, letting you see and read all the details as neededHere’s why it matters to youSuppliers can now more easily read information in notices and opportunities.Search and Filter options added to My OpportunitiesPreviously, suppliers were unable to search through and filter the items they had saved in My Opportunities. This made it difficult to find specific notices and information if you’d saved a lot of tenders and opportunities We’ve now enabled search and filter options in My Opportunities.This is how Mercell Bidding can help youOpen the My Opportunities page and click the Search & Filters button on the right hand side of the page. From the options that appear you can search for keywords, contracting authorities and others You can also filter by location, opportunity type, deadline, language, and CPV codes, to name a fewHere’s why it matters to youSuppliers can more easily find their saved opportunities in the My Opportunities page by using the new filtering and search options. Filter by deadlines to never miss out on an opportunity, or search for a specific keyword to find certain opportunities.Discover the updates todayExperience streamlined bidding. Log in now and explore the improvements. Discover the benefits for yourself.Do you have any feedback, help or questions? Join the conversation and share your thoughts

At Mercell, we’re working hard to make both the tendering and bidding processes easier, always improving our products and services to help you work smarter, not harder. In April, we rolled out new updates for Mercell Tendering, primarily around UK notices and our AI Profile Builders for suppliers.Let’s dive into the updates:Added support for new UK notices  UK1 - Pipeline notice UK5 - Transparency notice UK6 - Contract award notice UK7 - Contract details notice UK10 - Contract change notice UK11 - Contract termination notice UK12 - Procurement termination notice Added allowance for sequencing of UK formsAdded support for new UK noticesNew UK notices have become mandatory to use in public tenders from April 1st. With our latest update we have added support for several new UK notices to enable our buyers to publish all notices supported by the MeForms solution, ensuring compliance for all relevant forms. This is how Mercell Tendering can help youUK buyers will be able to open up a specific UK form, fill out the necessary fields, and publish the right information to the “Find a tender” page.Here’s why it matters to youBeing able to publish any form required by UK legislation will enable our buyers to publish all notices supported by the MeForms solution. This will make the solution compliant to offer a publication method for all relevant forms.Added sequencing of UK forms and noticesIn addition to support for the new UK notices, we’re also adding sequencing of these forms and notices to the platform. In practice, this means that only certain notices can be published after another, making it easier for you to create the correct notices in the same procurement. For this addition we are following guidance given by the UK government.This is how Mercell Tendering can help youAs you create notices for your procurement, you’ll only be able to create specific notices if the correct previous notice has also been created. You’ll be guided towards the proper forms and notices by the user interface in Mercell TenderingHere’s why it matters to youThanks to this new setup you will be prevented from making mistakes when choosing which forms and notices to publish for your procurement.Smaller improvement(s)Removed irrelevant banners for upgraded customersDiscover the updates todayExperience streamlined bidding. Log in now and explore the improvements. Discover the benefits for yourself.Do you have any feedback, help or questions? Join the conversation and share your thoughts.

At Mercell, we’re all about making the bidding process easier and we’re always improving to help you work smarter. This time, we’re introducing two updates: the Market Intelligence dashboard for deeper market insights and AI Budgets in Finland and Norway to identify early investment plans.Let’s dive into the updates: Stay ahead with the new Market Intelligence dashboard Say hello to AI Budgets in Finland and NorwayDiscover the updates todayStay ahead with the new Market Intelligence dashboardIf you don’t know what’s happening in your market, it’s hard to stay competitive. You risk missing out on contracts, can’t see who’s winning what, and don’t know how your competitors are performing. That changes with this release. With the new Market Intelligence dashboard, you align your strategy with market trends, evaluate your market position and identify key buyers effectively. This is how Mercell Bidding can help youGet a full overview of supplier wins, buyer activity, and contract trends.  Analyse data from different markets: Drill down into charts, graphs, and tables to get detailed insights about suppliers, contracts, and buyer relationships. Save your filters to quickly access the data you care about mostHere’s why it matters to youTo stay competitive and win more contracts, you need to understand what’s happening in your market. With the Market Intelligence dashboard, you can see who’s winning deals, how they’re performing, and where new opportunities are emerging. Knowing how competitors are doing and who buyers are working with helps you make smarter decisions, spot trends early, and focus your efforts where they count most.Say hello to AI Budgets in Finland and NorwayMunicipalities publish their budgets just once a year. These documents include valuable information about upcoming public investments. But finding the right documents and data can be challenging. Until now. With AI Budgets, Mercell Bidding does the heavy lifting for you. It finds the right documents and turns it into actionable insights. So no more scrolling through websites or opening one PDF after another.This is how Mercell Bidding can help youAI Budgets automatically scans municipal websites for new budget documents.  Identifies the relevant ‘investment budget’ section in each budget document and extracts key details.  Adds CPV codes to help match it to your business, so you easier identify if this is a relevant opportunity for you. The extracted data gets stored into a spreadsheet. Here’s why it matters to youWith this release, you’ll get a full view of public investments plans – all in one place. That means, it’s easier to spot new opportunities early, act fast, and no more missed chances. You can decide with more confidence whether it’s an opportunity worth bidding on. Smaller improvement(s)You’ll now get notified when someone replies or updates a comment on a business opportunity. You can also turn on e-mail notifications in the  Notification settings.Discover the updates todayExperience streamlined bidding. Log in now and explore the improvements. Discover the benefits for yourself.Do you have any feedback, help or questions? Join the conversation and share your thoughts.    

This release helps you stay focused and move faster. From tracking tenders to collaborating with your team. With a new homepage, improved monitoring email, and real-time search, you’ll find and manage the right opportunities with ease. Let’s dive into the updates: Streamlined collaboration by sharing and commenting on an opportunity  Brand-new homepage: all your opportunities in one place Track relevant business opportunities smarter Smaller improvement(s) Discover the updates todayStreamlined collaboration by sharing and commenting on an opportunityNow, when an interesting business opportunity appears, you can comment and share it directly with your colleagues in Mercell Bidding. No more scattered emails or external documents. Your team can comment, discuss, and collaborate in one place, ensuring a faster, more organised collaboration.This is how Mercell Bidding can help youSharing and discussing business opportunities just got easier. With the new collaboration features in Mercell Bidding, your team can stay aligned right inside the platform.Easily share a business opportunity with colleagues using their email address or by selecting them from the user list in Mercell Bidding. Receive notifications when someone shares or comments on an opportunity. All published comments are visible to your organisation. You can create, edit, or delete your own comments at any time.Here’s why it matters to youInstead of juggling emails, chats, or external documents, your entire team can now share, comment, and align directly within Mercell Bidding when a relevant business opportunity appears. You’ll stay organised, reduce miscommunication, and speed up decision-making, so you can focus on identifying and winning the right opportunities, together.Brand-new homepage: all your opportunities in one placeLog into Mercell Bidding and discover your brand-new homepage. Designed to keep you focused on the relevant business opportunities for you. Get a clear overview of the opportunities that matter and instantly access saved tenders, invitations, active bids, and past submissions. This is how Mercell Bidding can help youThe new homepage is your go-to hub for managing opportunities with ease. It’s designed for keeps everything organised in four clear tabs:Saved: All the opportunities you’ve saved from the Explore page or Monitoring Inbox. Invitations: Buyer invitations to tenders you still need to accept or reject. Active Bids: Tenders you’re monitoring for the outcome or planning to submit your bid.  Past Bids: Full history of your previous bids, ready to revisit when needed.Here’s why it matters to youThis brand-new homepage puts the most relevant business opportunities at your fingertips. Quickly review, take action, and track progress of various opportunities without searching through emails or lists. All in one place. Track relevant business opportunities smarter Spotting the right opportunities is now easier than ever thanks to an improved monitoring e-mail and enhanced search functionality in your monitoring inbox. The new email layout is clearer and better aligned with the platform, making it easy to scan and prioritise. And with a real-time view and instant results in your inbox, you can now search, filter, and revisit tenders the moment they match.This is how Mercell Bidding can help youWith a clearer structure and better tools, you can quickly find, filter, and act on what matters most.Improved monitoring e-mailMatches grouped by profile and sorted by nearest deadline Clearly split into Tenders, Upcoming, Investments, and Expiring Contracts Direct links to full profiles or specific opportunities Up to 100 relevant matches per emailReal-time view in monitoring inbox: Easily search in your monitoring inbox through the search bar.  Quickly filter opportunities by date or refine your results with ‘More filters’ for a tailored view.Here’s why it matters to youWith a clearer monitoring email and real-time search in your inbox, you get a faster, more organised way to track the opportunities that matter. Instantly filter, scan, and act—so you never miss a match and stay one step ahead in your tendering process.Smaller improvement(s)New users can now build their monitoring profiles faster with the help of an AI-powered profile builder suggesting relevant keywords and CPV codes before signing up. A smoother user experience with improved font size and visualisation of tables.  Support pages are now available in Finnish and Baltic languages, making it to get help in your language. Updated Swedish and Norwegian translations offer a clearer, smoother experience in Mercell Bidding. Admins now have better visibility into user roles with a new column added to the organisation management overview.Discover the updates todayExperience streamlined bidding. Log in now and explore the improvements. Discover the benefits for yourself.Do you have any feedback, help or questions? Join the conversation and share your thoughts

From the Procura+ website:The Procura+ Awards highlight sustainable, circular and innovation procurements and tender procedures and give visibility to the most dynamic, forward-looking and innovative public authorities and their initiatives.Former winners include the Norwegian Central Procurement Body for Sustainable Procurement of the Year, in addition to Malmö, Lisbon and Utrecht for innovation and sustainability.Applications for this year’s awards are now open, but you’ll have to be quick: the deadline for applying expires March 31st at 23:59 CET. Any public or semi-public authority can apply (within the meaning of Directive 2014/24/EC or Contracting Entity within the meaning of Directive 2014/25/EC, located in any EU Member State, EEA country or EU candidate or accession country and worldwide for category 3). You do not need to be a Procura+ participant to enter the competition.You can read more about the Procura+ Awards and how to apply by heading to procuraplus.org.

At Mercell, we’re committed to making tendering easier and more efficient for you. In this release, we’ve focused on ensuring UK regulation compliance and enhancing your user experience through several improvements. Let’s dive into the updates:UK: Publishing your notices to Find a Tender Service and Contracts Finder Smaller improvement(s) Discover the updates todayUK: Publishing your notices to Find a Tender Service and Contracts FinderIn February 2025, the UK will introduce new procurement regulations. However, procedures like Dynamic Purchasing Systems and Framework Agreements that were created under the old rules, notices must still comply with the previous regulations.With this release, we’ve created an interim solution. When creating a notice in Mercell Tendering, you can choose to publish these notices to Find a Tender (FTS) and optionally Contracts Finder depending on the value (above or below the threshold).This is how Mercell Tendering can help youWhen creating a notice, you’ll see options based on the contract value: Above the threshold: Publish the notice to FTS and optionally to Contracts Finder. Below the threshold: Publish the notice exclusively on Contracts Finder. The form’s editor includes additional non-mandatory sections that only apply to Contracts Finder. The rest of the information that you’ll need to fill out is the same for both FTS and Contracts Finder.  Once published, notices move to the ‘Active’ folder. Edits in the notice are simple, and any updates automatically create a modification notice. The information will be changed accordingly on FTS and Contracts Finder. Here’s why it matters to you Write notices with confidence, knowing they will comply with the correct regulations. Mercell Tendering’s single form approach saves you time while ensuring compliance with both FTS and Contracts Finder requirements. With this release, you are enabled to prepare, submit and publish your procurement notices more efficiently.Smaller improvement(s)UK: Improved translations throughout Mercell Tendering to make your experience more intuitive and user-friendly. Translation updates for the Swedish and Norwegian languages are also on their way.  With this update, you’ll find direct links when you log in, giving you easier access to Mercell Tendering and other modules you use. The ‘Get help’ button leads you directly to the support page in your local language for assistance. In Mercell Bidding, suppliers can now find German tenders with low value and national tenders published in Öffentliche Vergabe.  Discover the updates todayExperience streamlined tendering. Log in now to explore the improvements. Discover the benefits for yourself. Do you have any feedback, help or questions? Join the conversation and share your thoughts.

At Mercell, we’re simplifying your bidding process so you can focus on opportunities that matter. With pre-selected options for monitoring profiles and expanded access to tenders in Germany and Denmark, finding the right opportunities has never been easier. Let’s dive into the updates:Quick and easy setting up your monitoring profile with pre-selected opportunity types Smaller improvement(s) Discover the updates todayQuick and easy setting up your monitoring profile with pre-selected opportunity typesSetting up your monitoring profile in Mercell Bidding just got easier. With so many opportunity types, it’s easy to get overwhelmed. That’s why we have simplified the process.This is how Mercell Bidding can help you  In the ‘Opportunity types’ section, we have already pre-selected all relevant options for your profile based on your permissions and/or subscriptions. Here’s why it matters to you The pre-selected opportunities will save you time and remove any guesswork. By pre-selecting the opportunity types, you are ensured to get all the business opportunities that matter - without missing a thing.Smaller improvement(s)In Mercell Bidding, it’s now possible to find all low value and national tenders published in Öffentliche Vergabe, in addition to German EU tenders.    Denmark’s new public procurement platform, MitUdbud, is now integrated with Mercell Bidding. Notices published on MitUdbud are also accessible in Mercell Bidding. Now, you’ll be able to see all the business opportunities in one place. After admins have acquired a subscription or add on that includes Scope, they can now effortlessly select the specific geographical regions for Tender Discovery they want to add to their subscription. This update lets you tailor your regions to monitor, search, and discover tenders yourself.Discover the updates todayExperience streamlined bidding. Log in now and explore the improvements. Discover the benefits for yourself.Do you have any feedback, help or questions? Join the conversation and share your thoughts.

Happy Little Christmas Eve, Connectors!Welcome back to the Mercell Advent Calendar, where we share valuable information and best practices from us here at Mercell.This week, we’ll be sharing a summary of our 24 Days of Mercell from LinkedIn. If you didn’t know, we’ve been posting a daily dose of insights and tips from Mercell on our LinkedIn page during the month of December. Today we’re sharing the very best of these to keep you informed about public procurement trends and set you up for business success.As the end of the year is coming up, now is the perfect time to prepare for next year’s procurements. According to our data, March is usually the busiest month for public procurement in Scandinavia. Around 13% of all tenders published happen around March. December is a great time to strategically plan next year’s public sales but checking public contracts ending in 2025.And speaking of next year: did you know that summer is not as quiet as you might think! Although July and August are vacation months for a lot of companies, they also account for around 7% of annual tenders published each month. It might be worth keeping an eye out during the summer to avoid missed opportunities.Our data also shows that proactive suppliers win more business. Over 40% of public tenders received just a single bid in the year of 2021. We’ve also seen that the average number of bidders per tender halved during the ten year span between 2011 and 2021, dropping from 5.7 to 3.2 average number of bidders per tender. This means there’s now less competition, not to mention a greater chance for your bids to stand out. There’s also greater opportunities for new suppliers to enter the market!Another thing we’ve noticed is that public buys will often reuse the same tender criteria. If you’re a supplier, you can start preparing for upcoming tenders by reviewing past tender documents on platforms like Mercell. This will not only increase your chances of success, but also help you save time in the future.Finally, it’s important to note that nearly 50% of tenders focus on the best quality-price ratio, and not just the lowest price. This is something we’ve seen after analyzing over 100,000 tender evaluation criteria across the Nordics over the last 3 years.So how to take advantage of all these insights? Right now, you can find over 1000+ below-threshold tenders across Mercell platforms. Most public business happens below national threshold and so aren’t required to be published. These hidden opportunities can be difficult to find, but can be explored with Mercell!A lot of tenders lack critical details, making it difficult for suppliers to find the right opportunities. Our data ensures Mercell customers discover the right tenders, creating more opportunities for both buyers and suppliers. In 2024, Mercell enriched tenders with over 1,000,000 data points to help buyers and suppliers achieve better matching. Mercell’s embedded AI can also help you assess which tenders are relevant to you and your business. With this new feature you can save time to focus on writing great bids instead of sifting through complicated tenders.That’s it for the Mercell Advent Calendar this year! We hope you’ve gained some valuable knowledge from this series of articles that you can use in your future procurements. Don’t forget you can also check out our previous articles in the Mercell Community.

Hello Connectors,Welcome back to the Mercell Advent Calendar! It is the second Monday of December so we’re back with another article where we’re sharing valuable information and best practices from us here at Mercell. This week we’ll be highlighting some of the tools and collaboration features in Mercell Tendering that allow you to collaborate with other users.Mercell Tendering offers many different tools and features you can share with other users within your company or organization. These are building blocks such as pre-saved texts, documents and templates that let other users create and run their notices. Administrators can manage these for their organization.TemplatesWhen using Mercell Tendering you can create templates from existing notices, to use as the basis for new notices. These can be used within your own procurement unit or shared with other procurement units, giving you greater flexibility and control when setting up a shared template.More information on templates, and how to create them, can be found in the Mercell Knowledge Base.Criteria LibraryIn the criteria library you can create and group criteria templates for use in both procurement and suitability requirements. You can select these criteria groups for any request for quotation. The criteria library is accessible to other users in your organization for use in your own notices.You can learn more about the Criteria Library and how it works in our Knowledge Base.Pre-saved TextsYou can create pre-saved texts for use in tender requests, procurement decisions, contracts, protocols and auctions. We recommend using this to create standardised copy templates or canned answers that can be re-used multiple times. All pre-saved copy is available to all procurement personnel in the organisation.Pre-saved copy can be used in appropriate text fields in notices, and can even be edited when added to a notice. Any edits will then only apply to the specific document and won’t affect the original copy in your library.You can read more about this in our Knowledge Base.Internal DiscussionsBy selecting “Internal discussions” users within the same organization can leave internal comments and messages in connection with competitions. You can even attach attachments to your messages from your computer, or subscribe to email updates related to the conversation. Please note that discussions are tied to each Request for Proposal and won’t be copied to new tenders.For the full breakdown of the internal discussions functionality, check out our Knowledge Base.That’s it for this week’s advent calendar article. Please let us know below if you have any questions or comments. We would love to hear from you! Check back again next week for our final article

Hello Connectors,Welcome back to the Mercell Advent Calendar! Today is the third Monday of December, so we are back with another article. If you’re new here, the advent calendar is where we share valuable information, helpful tips and best practices from us here at Mercell.This week we’ll be discussing your Mercell account and what to do if you get stuck while logging into it.No matter which Mercell product or service you’re using, it all begins by logging into your account. If you don’t have an account, there’s usually a registration option somewhere on the page where you log in. Today we’re assuming you already have an account and are using Mercell’s products and services.If you’re unable to log in, make sure you’re trying to log into the correct platform. Mercell has many different products under its umbrella, so it is possible to get things mixed up. Try again just to be safe, and make sure you’re using the right username and password.If the issue persists and you’re not getting access to your account, the next move is to request a password reset. There will usually be a link on the login page to begin this process. If you already have an account registered with Mercell you should get an email with instructions for how to reset your password.Once you’ve created a new password you can then log in using your new details!In some cases when you request a password reset, you might get a message saying your account doesn’t exist, or you might not get a reset email. In that case you may be trying to log into the wrong account, the wrong platform, or you’ll have to create a new account.When creating a new account, there may be situations where you get an error message stating “a company with the same company name, organization number or administrator already exists”. If this happens you have to reach out to our customer service team or a customer success manager via email - you can’t share this kind of company information over the phone.Remember, you can always head to our Knowledge Base to look up additional information, or ask questions in the Mercell Community if you need help with logging in.That’s it for this week’s advent calendar article. Please let us know below if you have any questions or comments. We would love to hear from you! Check back again next week for our final article

It’s the first Monday of December and we are delighted to be kicking off the first part of our Mercell Advent Calendar.This is a series of articles where we’ll be sharing valuable information, good to know tips and best practices from us here at Mercell. We’ll be posting a new article every Monday throughout December until Christmas Eve, so don’t forget to check back every week!This week we’ll be highlighting our Knowledge Base of support articles and how you can find them when you need them.How to Find Support Articles in the Knowledge BaseOur support team here at Mercell have put together a plethora of support articles that live in the Knowledge Base. These explain everything from how to optimally use our products and services to how to solve or overcome potential issues.This repository of knowledge is conveniently located on a single page: support.mercell.com. In this hub you will find support pages listed by product and country. Click on your specific product and country to get started!From here you have three options: you can head to the Mercell Community (which is where you’re reading this article, hi!). You can contact our support team directly, or you can access the Knowledge Base. In this particular case we’re heading to the English language Knowledge Base for Mercell Tendering and Bidding. From here you’ll see an overview of all the different support articles available in this particular part of the Knowledge Base. The articles will usually be grouped by categories on the left side of the screen. You can also use the search feature to look for the specific articles you need. Just start typing in a keyword in the search bar and the search engine will handle the rest.Once you’ve found the article you’re looking for, simply click it to get started.How to Find Support Articles in the Mercell CommunityThe Mercell Community has a direct connection to the Knowledge Base, letting you quickly find support articles from the Community. While using the Mercell Community, locate the search bar at the top of the page. Type in a specific product or keyword and the federated search will automatically pick out the most relevant articles and display them in the dropdown menu. If you hit the Enter key after typing in your search (or clicking “VIEW ALL”) you will be redirected to a new page where you can see even more articles. You can then find the relevant article from the list. Easy peasy!And there you have it! You should now know how to find our Knowledge Base and how to access its support articles, both from the Knowledge Base and the Mercell Community.Don’t forget to check back in next week for another advent calendar update.

Dear Connectors,We are very happy to announce that you can now keep up with Mercell’s products and services through our brand new Status Page!This status page will live on the Mercell Community and can be access through the link above, or by clicking “Status page” in the banner at the top of the page. From here you can see the response time and current operational status of our Mercell products and services. We will also use the page to post manual updates in case anything happens. You can also go to status.mercell.com to head there directly.If you want to, you can subscribe to Status Page updates by clicking the “Subscribe” button. When subscribed you will be updated by email whenever there changes to the status page.Please let us know what you think and if you have any feedback!

Do everything right from the startIn public procurement, there is no room for delay. You are not given the opportunity to submit additional information. The deadline for submitting a bid is a strict deadline. If you are even one minute late, you have missed your chance. In other words, it's important that you get everything right from the start. So when you start planning to submit your bid, it's important to double-check the tender documents several times, so you don't miss any crucial information. There can be a lot to think about, so we've put it all together in a checklist for you.Good luck now! Step 1. Go through the procurement documents several timesRead through the procurement documents calmly, several times. Feel free to make notes of relevant information requested, must-have requirements or anything else that is good to know right away. There are many details, criteria and requirements that are important not to miss in your tender. What is the purpose of the tender?  Is there anything that stands out, that is particularly important to answer in the clearest possible way?  What do you, as a supplier, need to talk about and support with documentation?  Requirements and wishes may be scattered in the documentation, make sure you go through everything carefully and write down what the buyer wants to know. Make your own checklist of the requirements that need to be answered in the tender documents, which you can then easily tick off to ensure you don't miss anything important that needs to be included. Step 2: Start early and make a timetableSubmitting a tender can be time-consuming, so make sure you start well in advance. Make your own timetable, planning for important dates and when different documents need to be ready. Some tenders require third-party documentation, so it may take extra time to get everything in place. In the procurement documents you will usually find the following elements: Administrative conditions Requirements for the supplier Requirements for the subject of the procurement Basis for evaluation Contract terms and conditions Contract monitoring For your own convenience, you may want to use these as headings and then summarise under the headings important details that you should not miss in the tender. Step 3. Tender deadline - when is the deadline for submitting your tender?We cannot remind you enough to start on time. The deadline for submission is a strict deadline. If the contracting authority is to consider your tender at all, the minimum requirement is that it is submitted on time. As a general rule, tenders must be submitted no later than 23:59 on the last day of the deadline.It may be that the contracting organization has chosen a longer deadline than the legal minimum, in which case there is no obstacle to specifying a different time. Make sure to double-check the deadline several times, so that you don't spend all your time and effort creating your tender unnecessarily - which it will be if you submit it late.  Step 4. Ask questions early in the processDo you have any questions about the documentation? Make sure to ask questions early in the procurement process if there is anything you are unsure about and need clarification on, so that the buyer has time to answer.Contact the buyer in the way you want, usually via the Q&A function in the procurement system, to get answers to your questions. Pay attention to when the deadline is for asking questions.Remember that the general rule is that the questions asked by a tenderer and the answers given by the contracting organisation during the procurement procedure should be made available to all tenderers and other stakeholders.Do not confuse questions during the procurement with a pre-procurement dialogue. A proactive pre-procurement dialogue with the procuring entity takes place in the way you/you want and has no formal requirements. This means that other potential suppliers do not automatically have access to your dialogue. Step 5. Make it as easy as possible for the buyerThe buyer should review your tender and the tenders of others, i.e. your competitors, at the same time. It is important that you write a clear and easily understandable tender. Do what you can to make it easier for the buyer to get a clear overview. Clarify any terms and abbreviations. Answer what is asked for, avoid unnecessarily long and complicated explanations.  Do not refer to external sources and web links, but make sure that the buyer gets all the information directly in your tender. It may seem unnecessarily strict with the structure, but it is incredibly frustrating for the buyer to have to search for relevant information in a mess. Many suppliers neglect this, even if you are not judged on how structured you are as a supplier, it gives good signals to the contracting organization about how you are to work with.  Step 6. Be clear that your company meets all requirementsYou need to be thorough, clear and not sloppy when answering all the questions in the procurement documents. Make sure it is clear that your company meets all the requirements, and clearly describe how you meet all the must-haves, should-haves and other evaluation criteria to get the best possible result. Pay particular attention to your compliance with the 'shall' requirements, which are mandatory.It is important to remember that regardless of the evaluation basis of the tender, there are always mandatory requirements to be met. There may also be criteria relating to quality, environmental characteristics, competence, delivery time, guarantee, service and follow-up, etc. By highlighting how well your company meets these criteria in the tender, there is a chance that your tender will win even if you do not have the lowest price. Therefore, value all the requirements in the tender equally, whether they are mandatory or not. Step 7. Double-check all information before submitting your tenderMake sure that your tender meets all the requirements and conditions set out in the procurement documents. An incomplete tender is unlikely to win the tender, so make sure that all elements are included. If you are answering questions in a stand-alone document, make sure you are clear about which question you are answering. Go through your own checklist you wrote at the beginning and make sure to double-check all the details, like:  Are all the contact details for you at the company correct? Have you provided the correct contact details for the references? Are you submitting the tender in the required language? Is the correct company representative signing as the sender? Have you attached all the annexes requested by the contracting authority? Are they the right annexes? Do you answer all the requirements? You are well on your wayAs you have probably gathered from this checklist, preparation and systematic work are essential before submitting a tender. Work in a structured way and double-check that all details are included. If you work in a procurement system such as Mercell Tendering, it is easier to get an overview and see that all parts are included.

Dear Connectors,We are incredibly excited to announce that the early testing stages of the Mercell Community have finished and its doors are open to all Mercell customers! The Mercell Community is an online space where you can connect with other Mercell users through creating and engaging in discussions related to all things procurement and tendering. Click here to register or login with your Tendering and Bidding account. Start your first topic on our discussion forums or introduce yourself to the community.The discussion forums are divided into categories based on countries and products. Feel free to use your native language in the appropriate categories. You can also connect with Mercell directly by sharing your feedback with us!In addition to the discussion forums, you can access our extensive Mercell Knowledge Base directly from the community. Use the search bar at the top of the page to get started! The search feature will look up articles from both the Knowledge Base and the Community, making it easier for you to find what you’re looking for.We can’t wait to see what sort of discussions you create, and we’re greatly looking forward to seeing the community grow in the coming weeks and months.

With these release notes, we share how to manage participants in follow-up rounds and more. In this release, we’re introducing the ability to manage participants in a multi-round tender. With this new feature, you can now add and remove suppliers in the current round.Curious about all the new features we have added to the system? Read on!Manage Round ParticipantsWhen you’ve set out a multi-round tender, you couldn't previously add suppliers from a previous round unless they were marked as awarded. Now, buyers can add and remove suppliers in the current round.💡Please ensure that the following setting is enabled in the Business Process Management: Features > Mini competitions: Enable Selection of Admitted suppliers > YesThis feature is useful when, for example, you have awarded the suppliers to participate in the next round of the tender, but you forgot to add the suppliers from the previous round. Now, it is possible to go to the Supplier tab in the next round and to click on “Add suppliers from previous round”. 👇Within this page, you can select the suppliers that were participating in the previous round and add them to the current round.In order to do so, you’ll need to describe a reason, which is only visible for you (and not the supplier). 💡 Both when adding and removing suppliers to the current round, you will see a pop-up. Here, you will need to describe why you added or removed the supplier.The notes can be found in the three-dot menu, next to every supplier in the Suppliers tab: These notes are part of the Tender ZIP export in the folder <Round name> 🡪 Supplier notes.Multiple offersWhen a supplier has submitted multiple offers, it is only possible to add one offer to the current round.  Deleting suppliersYou can remove a supplier from the current round in the three-dot menu. The supplier will not be deleted from the tender. When deleting, you again need to provide a reason which is only visible to you. 💡Please note that this feature is not implemented for multi-lot tenders. Small changesReports: The parent tender field (Tender ID + Tender name of the parent fx DPS tender) has been added to the Offer Report and Award Report New Mercell logos: Our rebranded logos have been updated in Source-to-Contract and emails sent from the platform.Fixed bugsSupplier submitting question: Suppliers can now submit questions with angle brackets (<) followed by text. This issue has been resolved. Adding Questionnaires – When adding additional Questionnaires in a tender, the checkboxes are now properly aligned.  eForms – After adding validation on the TenderNed number in the Form selector, you got stuck and couldn’t create a notice. With this release, we’ve fixed the issue.

Hello Connectors,We’re thrilled to announce that the Mercell Community has undergone an exciting transformation! Our newly restructured Community now features country and product-specific categories, making it easier than ever to connect, share, and discuss topics tailored to your unique needs and services. Whether you're navigating local regulations or diving into specific product discussions, there's now a dedicated space for you!While English remains the default language, you’re welcome to discuss in your native language within these new categories. We’ll continue to post articles, blogs, and updates in English, and we encourage English use in General Discussions and the Mercell Tendering and Bidding Groups.Dive in, explore the new structure, and let us know what you think in the comments! Your feedback is key to making the Mercell Community a central part of your procurement journey.Happy connecting

Hello Connectors,I come bearing good news for everyone! Starting today you can use your Mercell Bidding and Mercell Tendering credentials to easily log in to the Mercell Community!After you click the “Login” button in the top right of the Community page, you will now see a button that reads “Use Mercell Credentials” under “Login with SSO”. Clicking it will bring you to a new page where you can input your login. You’ll then be taken back to the Community page, fully logged in! If you haven’t created a Mercell Community account, this process will create one for you. If you already have an account then you can use your existing login credentials. Please be aware that this process only works for users of the Mercell Bidding/Tendering platforms. If you haven’t been upgraded to the new platforms you can’t use your credentials in this way.If you have any questions about logging in to the Mercell Community, don’t hesitate to reach out or leave a comment down below.

Discover how analytics empower new suppliers in public procurement for strategic success Currently navigating the public procurement landscape? You should know that data and analytics is your secret weapon. It's not just numbers - it's a powerful tool that can increase your competitive edge and drive your business strategies forward. And for new suppliers entering the world of procurement, fully understanding the data at your disposal can be transformative.Because by effectively using this data, you can make more data-driven, informed decisions. It also helps you tailor your strategies to today’s market conditions, plus identify emerging trends before they become evident. That way you’ll position yourself to compete much more effectively, and you’ll seize opportunities that others overlook. In this article, we’ll discuss how analytics from platforms like Mercell can redefine your approach to public procurement, helping you thrive in the landscape.In this article:Tackling the challenges of public procurement data 4 key analytics use cases for public procurement ConclusionTackling the challenges of complex public procurement dataFor new suppliers on the scene, the public procurement market can be overwhelming - largely due to the amount of complex data. It’s in many ways a whole different ballgame compared to the private sector, where huge volumes of data aren't always at your fingertips.The deal is: Public tender data is usually more transparent and accessible. Government bodies, from local municipalities to national agencies, must openly share tender notices, contract awards, and other relevant details. This all stems from a few key principles:There’s legal obligations: Public entities are bound by law to operate transparently and ensure all potential suppliers have a fair shot. Accountability and openness: With transparency as the foundation, this kind of open system promotes fairness, minimizes corruption, and lets citizens keep an eye on how public funds are actually being spent. Centralized platforms: To simplify access, a lot of countries have centralized all public tenders on special portals and websites. Great for visibility but automatically means there’s a lot (too much) to go through.Without a clear way of understanding and analyzing this data to use it efficiently, suppliers risk missing valuable opportunities. Not to mention misusing resources and creating strategies that don’t align with the realities of the market. The result?Poor performance compared to competitors that know how to use data effectively Inefficient bidding, where suppliers either underestimate or overestimate their bids based on f.ex misunderstood data Struggling to anticipate new regulatory changes and market trends. Reactive strategies: A lot of suppliers miss out on opportunities by reacting rather than planning their bids with clear timelines, like knowing when contracts end. This reactive approach reduces their chances of securing new opportunities and building strong customer relationships. That’s why succeeding in this market means suppliers should look for more efficient ways and tools to access the vast amounts of data available in the public market. Understanding how to interpret and strategically apply this data is crucial.4 key analytics use cases for public procurementUnderstanding and effectively using data is key when navigating the public procurement landscape, as it can streamline and improve your overall strategy. Let’s take a look at four data analytics use cases from Mercell, each showing how to effectively leverage data insights: 1. Market potential and procurement activityUsing platforms like Mercell with advanced analytics gives you comprehensive insights into the volume of procurement opportunities within your sector.What are the main benefits?Strategic growth: Access to detailed procurement data helps identify growth trends and seasonal changes, enabling quicker and more accurate strategic adjustments to align with market dynamics. Better resource management: Analyzing procurement peaks allows for optimal resource allocation during high-demand periods and improves internal operations during quieter times, enhancing cost efficiency and operational effectiveness. Finding hidden opportunities: Transparency in public sector procurement data uncovers overlooked business opportunities across various industries, helping suppliers extend their reach and impact.Say a supplier observes an annual increase in procurements towards the fiscal year-end, they can strategically increase inventory or allocate additional staff to meet the rising demand. Similarly, if service demands peak in the first quarter, adjusting budgets and employee allocation can accommodate the increased workload.(Prognosis of upcoming tenders in the construction sector)What’s the overall outcome? Precise market targeting and effective risk management. Alignment of operations with market dynamics.All in all, these insights provide a competitive edge that ensures suppliers are well-prepared to meet market demands efficiently, turning data into actionable strategies.2. Competitor insightsUnderstanding your competitors' position in the procurement market is beneficial. Especially because the biggest players in the private sector vary from those that are leading in public contracts.Data analytics from platforms like Mercell give you the tools you need to take a deeper dive into the activities of your competitors, giving you insights that could reshape your competitive strategies.What are the biggest advantages?In-depth competitive analysis: Platforms like Mercell provide insights into your competitors' activity, including the number of tenders they enter, their win rates, and the bids they've lost. This "bird's eye view" helps you quickly identify both longstanding and new competitors in your market. Strategic advantage: Understanding where competitors succeed and fail allows you to tailor your approach effectively. Pinpoint areas where you can offer unique value or improve on existing market offerings. Benefits for newcomers: These analytics simplify navigating the sector’s complexities, helping newcomers strategically position their businesses for increased success.3. Tender requirements and historical documentsMercell’s platform allows you to explore historical tender documents, revealing specific past requirements such as certifications, financial criteria, and environmental policies.That way you can identify recurring requirements in procurement documents, helping you prepare effectively for future bids. This is particularly beneficial because many buyers tend to request similar qualifications repeatedly.By reviewing past procurement documents, you can:Spot patterns: Recognize frequently requested credentials, such as environmental certifications or specific turnover levels. Prepare in advance: Obtain these credentials ahead of time to avoid last-minute scrambles. For instance, if high IT security is commonly required, you can enhance your tech infrastructure before bidding.This proactive approach ensures you're well-prepared and positions you as a reliable and forward-thinking supplier. Instead of reacting to requirements, you're anticipating and meeting them head-on.4. Contract timelines and future opportunitiesMercell's analytics let you track contract expiration dates, crucial for seizing new opportunities. Set alerts for contracts ending in the next 6 to 12 months, which helps position yourself for upcoming tenders swiftly. Here’s why this matters:Get the perfect timing: Know exactly when contracts expire to time your market entry with new tender releases, especially in industries with regularly renewed contracts. Engage in more proactive planning: Engage with procurement officers early by knowing contract end dates. Tailor your proposals to upcoming tender requirements before they're announced.(Contract timelines within the construction sector)And the overall impact?Make smarter decisions, align with real opportunities, and enhance client interactions. This proactive approach boosts your chances of winning contracts and marks you as a ready, forward-thinking market participant.ConclusionThrough analytics from platforms like Mercell, complex data is turned into understandable and actionable insights. These insights equip suppliers with the information they need for competitive and strategic planning.In other words: A transformative approach for new suppliers entering public procurementExplore how Mercell's platform can enhance your procurement strategy by signing up for a free trial, which lets you experience firsthand how effective analytics can help grow your business and support your business decisions. 

Public procurement serves as a driving force in Norway’s public sector, involving an annual expenditure of approximately NOK 742 billion. To ensure that this significant spending is managed efficiently and sustainably, the Norwegian Agency for Public and Financial Management (DFØ) conducts a bi-yearly survey to assess the market’s current state and development initiatives. This year’s 2024 survey offers a well-rounded, behind-the-scenes perspective on the procurement landscape. With a growing interest in participating in the benchmark, over 600 central and municipal agencies, responsible for everything from office supplies to infrastructure projects, accepted DFØ’s invitation.The survey dives into a series of key procurement areas, shedding light on both progress and areas of improvement. From governance, collaboration, competence, digitization, to environmental practices and innovation, DFØ offers valuable insights into procurement strategies and practices. But DFØ isn’t merely observing these changes. By offering tailored management panels, DFØ helps organisations in identifying their strengths and areas needing improvement.What did this annual check-up reveal? The survey highlights:  Streamlined Procurement Processes. A notable rise in strategic maturity, as more public agencies transform their routine operations into strategic powerhouses, with a focus on streamlining all procurement processes.   Environmental Work and Innovation. A keen emphasis on climate, environment, and innovation, with more companies adopting low-emission solutions and circular economy measures, reflecting a strong commitment to environmental sustainability. Digitalisation. The growing use of digital tools in procurement, indicating a shift towards more efficient and transparent processes. Contract follow-up remains a high priority, ensuring that procurement contracts are executed effectively and that the intended benefits are realised.  Looking ahead, it is clear that Norway's procurement sector is moving towards a more data-driven, unified, and sustainable approach, with a strong focus on regulatory compliance. The launch of our new platform, Mercell Tendering, aligns perfectly with the forward-looking prospects of the Norwegian public market. Let’s delve into the survey’s findings across key areas for a more advanced and responsive procurement system in the Norwegian market.1. Strategy Beyond DocumentationAlmost half of the DFØ respondents, about 48 percent, have a central unit handling purchases. A team that cares for commercial assessments, contract follow-up across the purchasing portfolio, and systematic reporting to management. Having a strategy in place, which goes beyond mere paperwork, is critical. It gives clear direction and implementation power for all procurement activities. It also helps keep everyone focused on purchasing goods and services through follow-up and measurement. Companies that have a procurement strategy have better senior management buy-in, as well as greater collaboration across the organisation. They are also generally more mature in all areas. About 62 percent of respondent companies have a procurement strategy, whereas 29 percent lack clear rules and governance documents. Strategic use of procurement requires management to do more with the resources they have and stay informed about all procurement key areas. Mercell enables public buyers to stay in control of the entire procurement process from planning to ordering and analysis. All modules are connected on a common architecture, ensuring seamless transfer of data and reducing time spent, manual effort and reuse of information, which in turn contributes to more and more efficient processes.2. Value-added Procurement PhasesLooking at the different procurement process stages, the Norwegian public agencies conduct the most value-added work in the requirements and planning phase, followed by the contract management one. Allocation of resources per procurement phase The Requirements Phase: A Foundation for Success Contract Follow-up: Ensuring Compliance and Efficacy Beginning with the requirements phase, companies invest a significant portion of their resources, with an average allocation of 40%. This phase covers the needs assessment and meticulous planning and lays the groundwork for successful procurement outcomes. In the contract follow-up phase, companies allocate approximately 20% of their resources. Here, the focus shifts towards ensuring compliance and efficacy in contract execution. However, strategic activities tend to take a backseat, raising questions about the optimal distribution of resources across different procurement stages.  Overall, buyers tend to prioritise operational tasks over strategic activities. Essential tasks like market and risk analyses are occasionally sidelined, while activities related to competition implementation (keeping up with deadlines) are diligently addressed. Moving forward, for optimal procurement outcomes, public agencies are advised to strike a balance between operational efficiency and strategic foresight.3. Expertise DeficitShockingly, only one in five contracting authorities feel adequately equipped in procurement to foster innovation and uphold human rights standards. This deficiency extends to areas like contract follow-up and market dialogue. Contract Follow-up: A Critical ComponentAmong the various procurement processes, contract follow-up emerges the weakest link, with a mere 46 percent reporting a satisfactory level of expertise. Adequate proficiency in contract follow-up is indispensable for the public sector's successful transition toward sustainability and careful resource use. Recognizing this, 1 in 2 companies plan to invest in a Contract Lifecycle Management (CLM) tool in the next three years, according to PWC. More public organisations take a proactive approach to ensuring that wages, working conditions, and other critical factors are rigorously monitored and upheld throughout the contract lifetime. The evolution of contract follow-up and procurement strategies highlights the growing importance of ethical considerations in procurement.At Mercell, Contract Lifecycle Management is seen as a strategic tool that offers a clear overview of all contracts, which empowers public buyers to act proactively, minimise risks, and unlock potential savings from drafting to execution. Even the less experienced procurement professionals can create new contracts with templates and expedite the process with electronic signatures, reducing manual work and increasing process efficiency. With tools to monitor deadlines and address deviations through direct claims to suppliers, we offer dynamic follow-up within the system. Automatically alert suppliers about needed actions or quickly propose contract claims in case of violations or disputes. Analytical Skills: Bridging the GapAnalytics readiness remains another area of concern, with only 21 percent of procurement professionals indicating sufficient expertise. This poses a significant challenge in providing businesses with the analytical insights needed for informed decision-making and prioritisation.Public buyers are tasked with the critical role of allocating resources effectively, ensuring transparency, and delivering value for public funds. By leveraging data analytics, professionals within the purchasing unit can identify trends, anticipate market fluctuations, and prioritise purchasing decisions. Mercell recognizes the importance of integrating detailed cost analysis into procurement systems, leading to real-time data analysis, predictive analytics, and performance tracking. By connecting the invoice data, Mercell Spend Analysis empowers public buyers to track individual supplier spend, or track spending across suppliers.Positive Trends in Market DialogueWhile the market is posed by challenges, there are great positive developments. The Norwegian public space engages in more dialogue with its suppliers. This engagement enables a deeper understanding of current and future needs, competitive landscapes, and environmental considerations. Mercell Tendering provides a structured framework for supplier development and innovation. The platform includes tools for supplier follow-up, evaluation, and development, enabling agencies to build strong and effective supplier relationships.4. Environmental Work and InnovationAs per the DFØ survey, environmental goals are no longer an ‘elective subject’, but an area of high priority. Encouragingly, more public sector companies are introducing measures for the majority of prioritised categories, and with stricter climate and environmental requirements for public procurement set to take effect from January 1, 2024.Despite these advances:  Only 29% of businesses rigorously follow up on established environmental goals, with time and resources as the main barriers.  Just 14% believe their procurement practices have led to substantial reductions in climate and environmental impact.  While more companies are facilitating new products and services, only 27% actively explored this, in the past two years. The main reason for seeking innovation is to improve the quality of products and services, followed by the need for time-saving solutions. Achieving these climate and environmental goals requires adequate time, resources, and expertise. The Mercell Supplier Relationship Management module puts the public buyer in the driver's seat, providing the needed tools to set concrete sustainability goals, measure suppliers’ ability to deliver and, not least, establish KPIs that give the buyer confidence when reporting and documenting their sustainability efforts. Whether the main goal is to comply with the Transparency Act, the EU taxonomy or CSDDD, Mercell delivers. 5. DigitalisationThe aim of a fully digital process is to manage the source-to-payment cycle, ensuring buyers receive the correct products and prices as per agreements. Among the DFØ highly mature company respondents, 52 percent experienced significant simplification over the past two years due to digitization. They benefited from more efficient purchases, streamlined processes, fewer errors, and better regulatory compliance. According to PWC, the procurement space is projected to go 70% digital by 2027, with efficiency gains, transparency, and performance as the main drivers. While ICT and cloud services demand both technical and procurement expertise, only 5 percent of companies have a dedicated plan for procuring these services.At Mercell, our ambition is to take the procurement function out of Excel and Word and into the cloud. Mercell Tendering automates and digitises your procurement processes, from needs assessment, to internal dialogue and tendering, to contract follow-up, ensuring that all information is transferred seamlessly from one step to the next, reducing manual work and increasing process efficiency.The 2024 DFØ survey highlights the dynamic progress within Norway's public procurement sector. It reveals significant progress in streamlining processes, advancing environmental sustainability, and embracing digitalisation. ConclusionAs Norway continues to prioritise regulatory compliance and data-driven decision-making, the introduction of platforms like Mercell Tendering aligns seamlessly with these forward-looking initiatives. The insights from this survey are crucial for fostering an advanced and responsive procurement system in the Norwegian market.Let us know your thoughts on this survey in the comments!

 Incorporating Sustainability into Your Public ProcurementWith Europe’s binding commitment to net-zero emissions by 2050, public procurement is seen as a crucial element in achieving these goals. In the European Union (EU), procurement is set to account for approximately 14% of the GDP, or around €2 trillion annually. With this kind of spending power, public buyers are in a unique position to drive market transformation, set standards, and equally, demand environmentally friendly products and services. By integrating sustainability, procurement processes can ultimately contribute to climate neutrality. But the power of public procurement doesn’t stop there – it’s a trendsetter too. When governments and public institutions lead by example, it becomes difficult to ignore. Their visible commitment in prioritising sustainability, showcasing it as economically feasible and socially beneficial, can inspire the private sector to jump on the green bandwagon. This not only mainstreams sustainable practices but also enables healthy competition and pushes the entire market towards a more eco-conscious mindset. This shift supports the long-term environmental goals outlined in the European Green Deal.While the benefits of sustainable procurement are clear, implementing these practices can pose challenges. Read on to uncover how you can lead the way to a climate-neutral Europe by turning your public procurement processes into sustainable ones.The European Green Deal: Blueprint for SustainabilityIn a circular, competitive economy, "economic growth is decoupled from resource use, while no person and no place are left behind". This core principle is the foundation of the European Green Deal, a framework for action, designed to make Europe the first climate-neutral continent by 2050.  Key components of the European Green Deal 42.5% New renewable energy target for 2030  -310Mt Net CO2 removals by 2030 -50% Less chemical pesticides for an eco-friendly food system SourceGreen energy, building renovation, and biodiversity are among the key areas that come to mind when discussing decarbonisation. Yet, public procurement is not to be forgotten. Accounting for around 14% of EU GDP, public procurement is a powerful instrument within the European Green Deal toolbox. The Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) The EU comes to mandate more detailed disclosures on environmental, social, and governance (ESG) matters with the latest Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD). Closely aligned with the European Green Deal and shaped for enhanced transparency and accountability, this directive holds profound implications for public procurement. Public buyers are now tasked to prioritise sustainability considerations when evaluating suppliers, such as carbon footprint, social responsibility, and resource efficiency.  Country-Specific Laws for a Better EnvironmentGlobally, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) chart the path towards a sustainable and inclusive future. Within the EU, 23 member states have up-to-date plans and specific laws to advance sustainable procurement. Several European countries have enacted specific laws to support the EU environment-friendly goals and promote sustainable procurement. Here are some notable examples: Norway: Transparency Act Effective since July 2022, Norway’s Transparency Act mandates large companies to provide detailed reports on how they address human rights and environmental issues throughout their supply chains. Seen as a major step towards ethical and sustainable business practices in the country, the law promotes transparency and accountability, impacting more than 8,000 companies.   Netherlands: Sustainable Procurement Manifesto With purchasing power exceeding €73 billion annually, the Dutch government aligns its public procurement with the social goal of "commissioning with ambition and procuring with impact". Their Sustainable Procurement Manifesto mandates public buyers to consider environmental and social criteria when awarding contracts. This long-term, environmentally focused approach has already brought significant changes to public tenders.   France: Anti-Waste Law or Loi AGEC Every year, €630 million worth of unsold products are destroyed in France, generating significant waste per person and causing environmental damage that threatens biodiversity. In response, France initiated a transition towards a circular economy with the Anti-Waste Law enacted in 2020. Public procurement supports these efforts by prioritising durable, repairable, and recyclable products. Since the law's implementation, plastic waste has been reduced by 15%.      Germany: Federal Climate Change Act To accelerate its path to climate neutrality, Germany adopted a crucial reform known as the Federal Climate Change Act. This law sets legally binding targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 55% by 2030 compared to 1990 levels. The Act outlines specific measures across various sectors, including transport, construction, and energy. How does this impact public procurement? Public Buyers now prioritise low-emission and energy-efficient products and services, thus supporting Germany's climate objectives. This shift ensures that procurement decisions align with the nation's ambitious environmental goals and contribute significantly to reducing the carbon footprint.Incorporating Sustainability into Your Public Procurement  With the European Green Deal and various national laws in mind, it's crucial to understand how to integrate sustainability into public procurement processes. This section will provide practical steps and strategies to help your procurement activities align with environmental goals and social responsibility. By exploring these actionable insights, you'll be equipped to make a meaningful impact on sustainability through your procurement decisions. 1. Sustainability Criteria in TendersIncorporating sustainability criteria into your tenders involves adjusting solicitation requirements to include environmental considerations. This implies specifying the use of eco-friendly materials, requiring energy-efficient services and products, and establishing clear weighted criteria in your evaluation metrics.Depending on procurement objectives, criteria such as local supplier recyclability, percentage of renewable energy use, and attention to worker well-being can be included. By applying these measures, sustainability is ensured throughout the procurement process, filtering suppliers with strong environmental credentials. 2. Life Cycle Costing (LCC)Consider Life-Cycle Costing (LCC) when making procurement decisions. While the purchase price is important, it's just one part of the overall cost of owning and disposing of a product or service. LCC covers all expenses incurred throughout the product's lifetime, and the EU provides various sector-specific calculating tools to aid in this process.Sustainable options often prove to be more cost-effective in the long-term due to lower operating and disposal costs. To implement LCC effectively, start by conducting comprehensive analyses for major procurements. Additionally, ensure your procurement officers are trained in LCC methodologies, and use these calculations to inform your procurement decisions.  3. Eco-labels and CertificationsWith so many available product options, eco-labels and certifications simplify the process of finding sustainable alternatives to conventional ones. Eco-labels serve as beacons for sustainable choices, promoting the adoption of responsible product technologies and consumer behaviour while also benefiting the environment.Encourage your suppliers to acquire recognized eco-labels and integrate them into your selection criteria. By prioritising products with these certifications, you contribute to a greener and more sustainable procurement process.  4. Pre-Procurement Market ConsultationsInvolving suppliers and stakeholders early in the procurement process can unveil innovative and sustainable solutions. Organising pre-procurement market consultations provides a platform to communicate your sustainability objectives and gather valuable feedback from potential suppliers.By engaging with the market at this early stage, you foster collaboration and ensure alignment with your sustainability goals, ultimately leading to more effective procurement outcomes. These consultations serve as a vital step in cultivating partnerships and driving positive change within your procurement practices. 5. Monitoring Sustainability ProgressMost EU Public Procurement Units release annual sustainability reports to highlight the environmental and social effects of public contracts. Transparency in this process is vital, as it promotes accountability and allows stakeholders to observe the impact of sustainable procurement policies. This openness can drive continuous improvement and innovation, highlighting both successes and areas needing attention. Moreover, it ensures that procurement strategies are aligned with broader goals like reducing carbon emissions, minimising waste, and promoting social equity.Access to detailed sustainability performance metrics allows procurement managers to refine their strategies based on solid evidence rather than assumptions. This data helps identify which suppliers best meet sustainability objectives, spot potential risks, and find opportunities for more sustainable practices.  6.  Cultivating a Culture of SustainabilityCreating a culture of sustainable procurement demands dedication across all organisational levels. Integrating sustainability goals into your overarching strategy involves providing training and allocating resources for your procurement staff. By prioritising sustainability and empowering your team with the necessary tools and support, you lay the foundation for a culture that values ethical and green procurement practices. Encouraging open communication, fostering collaboration, and recognizing achievements in sustainable procurement further solidify this culture, ensuring lasting impact and positive change within your organisation. Embrace Sustainable Procurement with MercellTransitioning to sustainable public procurement is not just an obligation under the European Green Deal; it is an opportunity to lead by example and make a significant impact on the environment. Embracing sustainability in procurement processes requires the right tools to ensure efficiency and compliance. A robust, unified tender platform, like Mercell, can help you embed sustainability at every stage of the procurement lifecycle.  Procurement Planning: Embed sustainability right from the start by setting clear procurement goals aligned with your sustainability objectives. Your organisation can rank suppliers based on rigorous sustainability criteria and detailed questionnaires to ensure your procurement aligns with sustainable practices. Whether planning purchases per singular procurement or for entire categories, our platform ensures all internal purchasing needs are reported and managed according to your established sustainability goals.Sourcing & Tendering: Drive sustainable procurement by incorporating sustainability criteria into your sourcing and tendering processes. Prompt suppliers to submit proposals that address key ESG considerations. Benefit from a comprehensive library of default sustainability criteria, enabling all buyers to maintain high sustainability standards consistently.Contract Lifecycle Management: Ensure ongoing compliance and performance with robust contract management tools. Make sure that all contractual obligations are met with a focus on environmental and social impact, by monitoring key performance indicators (KPIs) that reflect your sustainability goals. Supplier Relationship Management: Build strong, sustainable partnerships with our advanced supplier relationship management tools. Set and monitor concrete sustainability goals, evaluate supplier performance, and establish KPIs to ensure transparency and accountability. Key performance indicators (KPIs) may include:  Percentage of contracts incorporating sustainability criteria. Reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from procured products. Volume of waste reduced or recycled through procurement efforts. Our platform helps you maintain up-to-date supplier certificates and compliance documents, streamlines pre-qualification, and ranks suppliers based on sustainability criteria. This transparency demonstrates your commitment to sustainability and provides valuable insights to improve your procurement strategies. With our platform, you can confidently report and document your suppliers' sustainability efforts, ensuring compliance with the Transparency Act, the EU taxonomy, or CSDD requirements.

Dear Connectors, we have great news,Mercell’s embedded AI is now available for Mercell Tendering in Norway, Sweden, Finland and The Netherlands! Thanks to the fantastic efforts of our Tech team, Tender Summarisation and Better Tender Matching have been rolled out in the above countries This marks a significant milestone for our platforms that will bring a lot of value to you, our customer.Our new AI capabilities will break down the complexity of doing public business, and enable you to more easily qualify for tenders that match your services and profile. However, this is just the beginning! We are currently in the process of implementing Tender Summarisation and Better Tender Matching in our Mercell Bidding Platform. We’ll have more information about this implementation at a later date.For now, let’s go into more detail about the new embedded AI features:Tendering SummarisationMercell AI transforms complex tender documents into clear, concise summaries with Tender Summaries. You’ll get increased clarity on tender details, uncover hidden insights, and reduce the time needed to evaluate opportunities. With Mercell AI’s tendering summaries you will more easily understand provided business opportunities that come your way.Better Tender MatchingDiscover the most relevant business opportunities with access to our Better Tendering Matching AI. We will supply you with opportunities that you may have missed, and bring you closer to the tenders that matter the most. This is intended to increase your chances of winning and giving you a further competitive edge in your chosen market.We can’t wait to hear what you think about our new AI features! Let us know your thoughts in the comments.