About Romania Public Procurement
Romania runs one of the most centralised procurement systems in Europe through SEAP, the electronic public procurement system accessed at e-licitatie.ro and widely known by its current interface name SICAP. Use of the platform is mandatory for contracting authorities, so notices, documentation, clarifications, bid submission and award notices all sit in one place, and the historical archive makes it straightforward to see who has been winning what. The National Agency for Public Procurement (ANAP) sets policy, issues guidance and carries out checks on higher-risk procedures, while a dedicated national council handles supplier complaints. Buyers include ministries and central agencies, the county councils and Bucharest districts, thousands of local authorities, hospitals, schools, and state companies in energy, rail and roads. Above-threshold contracts follow the open procedure as standard, while a large volume of lower-value buying goes through the platform's electronic catalogue for direct purchases, which is often the quickest entry point for a new supplier. A very large share of Romania's pipeline is EU-funded, concentrating opportunity in transport infrastructure, water and wastewater, energy efficiency, healthcare and digitalisation. Award has traditionally been price-driven, though quality and lifecycle criteria are used more often now, particularly in services and complex works. Documentation is in Romanian and deadlines are enforced strictly through the platform, so preparation time matters.
