Portals and systems
CPV codes(CPV)
Definition
The Common Procurement Vocabulary — a standardised classification system using numerical codes to describe the subject of procurement contracts, enabling consistent categorisation and searchability across public procurement portals.
CPV (Common Procurement Vocabulary) codes are the taxonomy of public procurement. Every contract notice is tagged with one or more CPV codes that describe what is being procured. The system is hierarchical: the first two digits identify the division (e.g. 72 = IT services), the next digit the group (722 = software-related services), and further digits provide increasing specificity.
There are over 9,000 CPV codes covering everything from road construction to catering to satellite communications. While the system is comprehensive, it is not always intuitive. Buyers sometimes miscategorise their procurements, and a single opportunity might legitimately fall under several codes. This makes CPV-only search unreliable if used too narrowly.
For suppliers, understanding which CPV codes apply to your services is essential for setting up effective portal alerts. But experienced bidders also monitor adjacent codes — a digital transformation project might appear under IT services (72), management consulting (79), or education and training (80) depending on the buyer's interpretation.
Why it matters for bidders
CPV codes determine whether you find an opportunity or miss it entirely. Setting up alerts for the right codes — and understanding which adjacent codes your competitors might bid under — is foundational to effective opportunity monitoring.
How Skim helps
Skim maps your capabilities to CPV codes and their adjacent categories, monitoring across code boundaries so you never miss an opportunity because a buyer classified it under an unexpected code.
Related terms
Contracts Finder
The UK government's free online portal where public sector buyers must advertise contract opportunities and publish award notices for contracts valued above £12,000 (central government) or £30,000 (sub-central authorities).
Find a Tender(FTS)
The UK's e-notification service that replaced the Official Journal of the European Union (OJEU) for UK procurements after Brexit, used for publishing contract notices above the international procurement thresholds.
Tenders Electronic Daily(TED)
The European Union's online publication platform for public procurement notices, covering all EU member states and EEA countries. Since Brexit, UK procurements appear on Find a Tender instead, but TED remains relevant for UK suppliers bidding into EU markets.
Contract notice
A formal advertisement published on procurement portals announcing that a buyer intends to award a contract, inviting suppliers to express interest or submit tenders.