Tender for Sand, Gravel and Aggregate in Trøndelag County, Norway

Official Name: Trøndelag fylkeskommune (Trøndelag County Municipality, Norway)

Registration Number: 817920632

Location: Norway, Trøndelag (NO060), Steinkjer, Seilmakergata 2, Postcode 7725

Contact Person: Eivin Brondbo

Contact Email: eivbr@trondelagfylke.no

Contact Phone: +47 47473734

Main Activity of the Contracting Authority: Operation and maintenance of the county road network

Core Information of the Tender:

Project Title: Dynamic procurement system for crushed stone, gravel and asphalt.

Project Description: This DPS aims to meet the demand for materials such as crushed stone and gravel for road operation and maintenance contracts in Trøndelag County. The county government has divided road maintenance into different geographical areas. The materials required for summer maintenance have been separated from the original operation and maintenance contracts and will be procured independently through this DPS. The initial phase covers two operation and maintenance areas (5001 Gauldal/Oppdal and 5004 Ytre Namdal). It is expected to expand to more areas and other types of works during the contract period.

Contract Type: Supplies

Main CPV Code: 14210000 – Gravel, sand, crushed stone and aggregates

Additional CPV Codes: 14212000 – Pebbles, gravel, broken or crushed stone, aggregates; 14212100 – Pebbles and gravel; 14212120 – Gravel; 14212210 – Gravel-sand mixtures; 14212310 – Ballast

Key Information of the Dynamic Procurement System (DPS):

System Type: Dynamic procurement system

System Objective: To establish a long-term, open, and competitive supplier pool for materials like crushed stone and gravel for road operation and maintenance projects within the county.

System Validity Period: August 8, 2024 to July 31, 2029 (approximately 5 years)

System Operation:

Suppliers can apply to join the system at any time during its validity period;

Suppliers that pass the qualification review will enter the system and have the right to participate in invitations for subsequent specific procurements;

The contracting authority will invite all qualified suppliers in the system to compete based on project needs;

Suppliers can join or withdraw from the system at any time during its operation.

Extension of Applicable Parties: This dynamic purchasing system is also available for use by other contracting authorities not listed in this notice.

Estimated Total Value (Excluding VAT): 20,000,000.00 Norwegian Kroner

Covered by the GPA: Yes

EU Funds Involved: No

Electronic Auction: No

Framework Agreement: No

Financial and Time Framework:

Estimated Total System Value: 20,000,000.00 Norwegian Kroner (approximately 1,850,000 Euros)

System Start Date: August 8, 2024

System End Date: July 31, 2029

Deadline for Participation Applications: July 31, 2029, 10:00:00 (Western European Time, UTC+0) — Approximately 3.5 years from now, the system remains open long-term.

Qualification Requirements (Sole Criteria Used):

Tax and VAT Certificates (For Norwegian Bidders Only):

If the bidder is a Norwegian company, the winning candidate must submit VAT and tax certificates;

The certificates must be issued no more than 6 months before the application deadline.

Other Qualification Criteria (Economic and Financial Capacity, Technical and Professional Ability, Professional Registration, etc.): Over 20 qualification criteria listed in the notice (annual turnover, net assets, insurance, quality certification, environmental management, personnel numbers, technical equipment, etc.) are all marked as "Not used." This means the contracting authority has not set any general qualification thresholds other than tax certificates for this DPS admission stage. In principle, all qualified suppliers can apply to join.

Tender and Document Access Requirements:

Exclusively Designated Platform: Mercell (a commonly used public procurement platform in Norway)

Application Language: Norwegian

Electronic Signature Requirement: Must use a qualified electronic signature or seal compliant with EU Regulation (EU) No 910/2014

Electronic Catalogue: Not allowed

Variants: Not allowed

Multiple Bids: Not allowed

Electronic Invoicing: Mandatory

Electronic Ordering: No

Electronic Payment: Yes

Bid Evaluation and Award:

Award Criteria: Not disclosed in the notice; will be specified in each specific procurement invitation.

Evaluation Method: Depends on the specific needs of subsequent mini-procurements, which may include price, quality, delivery capability, environmental standards, etc.

Review and Appeal Body:

Review Body: Trondelag tingrett (Trøndelag District Court)

Registration Number: 926 722 794

Location: Norway, Trondheim

Contact Email: trondelag.tingrett@domstol.no

Contact Phone: +47 73 54 24 00

Notice Publication Information:

Notice Form: Contract or concession notice – Standard regime

Notice Subtype: 16

Official Language: English (The notice itself is in English, but tender/application documents must be in Norwegian)

TED eSender: Mercell Holding ASA (Norway)

Core Business Decision Insights:

Project Nature: This is not a one-off procurement tender, but a Dynamic Procurement System (DPS) established by the Trøndelag County Municipality in Norway for the next 5 years for crushed stone, gravel, and asphalt materials. After simple qualification confirmation, suppliers will be eligible to participate in competitive invitations for all subsequent specific procurement projects during the system's validity period (until July 2029). This is a low-cost, high-efficiency strategic channel to enter the Norwegian county-level government road infrastructure supply chain, offering long-term, stable, and predictable order flow.

Clear Market Potential: The estimated total system value is as high as 20 million Norwegian Kroner (approximately 1.85 million Euros). Moreover, the initial phase only covers two maintenance areas, and it is expected to expand to more areas and project types during the contract period, with procurement volumes likely to increase significantly.

Adequate Application Window: The deadline for participation applications is July 31, 2029. From now (February 2026), there is still about 3.5 years to submit applications at any time. There is no urgent pressure, but interested companies are advised to complete qualification confirmation as early as possible to enter the procurement invitation list sooner and accumulate bidding experience and track records.

Extremely Low Entry Barrier: Apart from tax/VAT certificates for local Norwegian companies, this DPS does not set any qualification thresholds regarding finance, technology, personnel, equipment, etc. This means any supplier capable of providing qualified crushed stone, gravel, and asphalt products, regardless of size or experience, can apply to join. The contracting authority controls quality and cost through the evaluation mechanism of subsequent specific procurements.

Clear Language and Digitalization Requirements: All application documents and subsequent communication must be in Norwegian. Non-Norwegian companies need to prepare professional Norwegian translations or local Norwegian agents. A qualified electronic signature (compliant with eIDAS) is mandatory, requiring compliant digital certificates prepared in advance. All operations must be completed on the Mercell platform; registration and familiarity with Norwegian public procurement processes are required in advance.

Apply Directly Without Waiting: Due to the absence of any financial/performance thresholds, suppliers meeting basic commercial qualifications can directly submit applications (fill out the ESPD and submit) without preparing complex financial statements or performance proofs. The contracting authority only verifies tax compliance for Norwegian companies at the winning candidate stage.

Evaluation Flexibility: The evaluation criteria for specific procurements will be clarified in subsequent mini-procurement invitations and may include price, quality, delivery capability, environmental standards, etc. Suppliers should prepare tailored technical proposals and quotations for each specific quotation.

System Extensibility Advantage: It is explicitly stated that "This system is also available for use by other contracting authorities not listed in this notice." This means that after passing the qualification review for this DPS, suppliers may receive direct procurement invitations from other Norwegian county governments or public authorities, offering extended value.

Competitive Landscape: Quarries and construction material suppliers from Norway and the Nordic region will be the main competitors. Due to the extremely low entry barrier, competition may be intense, but it also provides equal market access opportunities for new entrants and SMEs.

Recommended Next Steps:

Immediately prepare Norwegian versions of company qualification documents (registration certificate, VAT certificate (if a Norwegian company), legal representative declaration, etc.);

Apply for a qualified electronic signature (compliant with eIDAS standards), available through Norwegian providers like Comfides, Buypass, etc.;

Register a Mercell platform account and familiarize yourself with the Norwegian interface;

Submit a Participation Application: Fill out the ESPD and upload it to the platform. Due to the absence of complex qualification requirements, the application can be completed within a few days.

Maintain Attention: After passing the qualification review, closely monitor the platform for specific procurement invitations (mini-udbud) and quickly prepare quotations based on each requirement (material type, quantity, delivery location, time requirements).