Compliance requirements
A bidder may be excluded if it is bankrupt, being liquidated, subject to bankruptcy or liquidation proceedings, has suspended business activities or is otherwise in a comparable situation under the law of its country of establishment. Exclusion also applies where the bidder has outstanding state tax, payment or environmental charge debts, or tax or social security payment arrears, unless the debt has been paid or duly rescheduled. The bidder must confirm that none of the exclusion grounds under the applicable provisions of the Estonian Public Procurement Act apply. The bidder’s employees’ average wage must not have been below 70% of the average wage in the relevant field during the six-calendar-month comparison period; this does not apply where the bidder has no employees. A foreign bidder must provide equivalent evidence from the competent authority in its country. The bidder must also confirm that it is not a related person to the technical consultant advising the beneficiary on the apartment building’s reconstruction. If the contracting entity cannot verify the absence of exclusion grounds through public registers, it may request supporting documents, which must be submitted within 10 calendar days.
Qualification criteria and exclusion grounds
The bidder must be registered in the relevant economic activity register for construction activities covering general construction, indoor climate systems, and building or associated water supply and sewerage systems. For electrical works, the bidder must be registered for the construction and installation of electrical installations. Foreign bidders may provide equivalent evidence from their country of establishment.
The bidder’s net turnover in the financial year preceding submission of the tender must be at least twice the estimated contract value excluding VAT. The bidder must confirm that it can provide, by the date of signing the construction contract, a first-demand guarantee issued by a credit institution, financial institution or insurer for 5% of the construction contract value excluding VAT. The guarantee must remain valid throughout the construction period; an equivalent cash deposit may also be used. If the guarantee is provided after contract signing, it must be submitted within 10 calendar days.
During the 60 months preceding commencement of the procurement, the bidder must have completed at least one comparable construction project with a value of at least half the estimated contract value. The project must have been carried out as the main contractor and involved construction, extension or full reconstruction of a building, including load-bearing structures or external envelopes, heat-recovery mechanical ventilation, and a new or reconstructed heating system. The bidder must provide project details, timing, value and evidence such as a building register use notice or use permit reference, or a client- and contractor-approved handover certificate.
The team must include a project manager with at least a level 6 construction engineer or construction manager qualification, a site manager with at least a level 5 construction foreman qualification, a ventilation and heating systems specialist with at least a level 6 relevant engineering or construction manager qualification, a water supply and sewerage systems specialist with at least a level 6 relevant engineering or construction manager qualification, and, for electrical works, a person with at least a class B competence certificate or a level 6 electrical engineer qualification for consumer electrical installations. The bidder must submit each person’s name and professional certificate number and, where relying on another entity’s capacity, signed commitments confirming participation in contract performance.
The bidder must have a quality management system for construction activities meeting at least the EVS-EN ISO 9001 standard or an equivalent standard, and an environmental management system meeting at least EVS-EN ISO 14001 or an equivalent standard. The tender must include the required qualification evidence, a completed price form and a compliant technical and financial submission. Joint bidders must submit a power of attorney appointing an authorised representative. Conditional tenders are not permitted.