CERN has developed its own procurement procedures, which comply with the principles of transparency and impartiality while aiming to achieve a balanced industrial return for all its Member States.Member States with a balanced industrial return are considered well balanced.Member States not achieving balanced industrial return are considered poorly balanced.
CERN contracts are awarded following price inquiries or invitations to tender, depending on the estimated amount of the contract. Price inquiries are made for supplies below 200.000 CHF. For a price inquiry, only a limited number of firms will be contacted.All requirements expected to exceed 200.000 CHF are announced on the CERN Procurement website.To participate in an invitation to tender procedure, bidders first have to be qualified on the basis of their replies to a market survey.As a rule, CERN’s procedures are selective, limited to firms established in its Member States and do not take the form of open invitations to tender or price inquiries.
Contracts for supplies are awarded to the firm whose bid complies with the technical, financial and delivery requirements and which offers the lowest price on a Free Carrier (FCA) basis. However, for requirements exceeding 100.000 CHF, an alignment rule applies which provides an advantage to a bidder if at least 60% of its supplies originate from poorly balanced Member States.The country of origin is defined as the country where the supplies are manufactured or undergo their last major transformation. Contracts for services are adjudicated on a Best-Value-for-Money basis taking into account the technical quality of the bid as well as the price.The country of origin for services and civil-engineering work is defined as the country in which the bidder is established.