Threshold values

A threshold value (terskelverdi) is an amount that decides which rules a public procurement must follow. What is compared with the threshold is the estimated value of the contract excluding VAT, as a rule calculated over the whole contract period and including all options.

The thresholds on this page are those of the Public Procurement Regulations (anskaffelsesforskriften); the § references on this page are to the Regulations unless the Act is named. Utilities, concession and defence procurement have their own rules. For most contracts there are three levels. At or above NOK 500,000, the Public Procurement Act (anskaffelsesloven) and Part I of the Regulations apply. At or above NOK 1.3 million, the national threshold, the competition must as a rule be advertised on Doffin, the Norwegian national database for procurement notices, and Part II applies. At or above the EEA thresholds, Part III applies, with a notice also in TED (the EU's database for procurement notices) and fixed minimum time limits. Health and social services and special services (særlige tjenester) are two separate groups with their own rules; see the questions at the bottom.

The EEA thresholds are NOK 1.63 million for supply and service contracts awarded by central government authorities, NOK 2.5 million for other contracting authorities and NOK 62.9 million for works contracts. For special services and for health and social services the threshold is NOK 8.7 million. All amounts are excluding VAT and apply from 21 April 2026. The European Commission adjusts them every two years. The details are on the page on EEA threshold values.

The thresholds decide what you see on Doffin and what you can demand.

Below NOK 500,000 the procurement rules do not apply, and KOFA cannot handle complaints about such purchases. Contracting authorities that are administrative bodies, such as state and municipal bodies, must still follow the Public Administration Act (forvaltningsloven) and sound administrative practice. From NOK 500,000 up to NOK 1.3 million, the Act and Part I apply, including the requirement of competition and equal treatment. The contracting authority does not have to advertise, and there are no procedural rules and no standstill period. Such purchases appear on Doffin only if the contracting authority advertises voluntarily. Advice: at this level, keep track of the contracting authorities yourself.

From NOK 1.3 million up to the EEA threshold, the competition must as a rule be advertised on Doffin (not for health and social services). The tender deadline must be reasonable, and the contracting authority must as a rule specify a reasonable standstill period.

At or above the EEA threshold, the competition is also advertised in TED. Under Part III, the tender deadline in an open procedure (åpen anbudskonkurranse) is as a rule at least 30 days (35 days if tenders are not submitted electronically). At or above the EEA threshold, the standstill period is as a rule at least 10 days (15 days if the contracting authority has made an exception from electronic communication). At or above the EEA threshold, a court must also declare a contract ineffective, among other things for an illegal direct award. Breaches of the rules on the standstill period or on suspension must lead to a shortened contract or an infringement fine. The same applies to an illegal direct award from NOK 1.3 million up to the EEA threshold.

Advice: find the estimated value in the contract notice or the tender documents, and compare it with the threshold that applies to the contracting authority and the type of contract.

A municipality wants to buy maintenance of ventilation systems for NOK 550,000 a year for two years. The tender documents include an option to extend by one year at the same price. The value is 3 × NOK 550,000 = NOK 1,650,000 excluding VAT, because the option is set out in the tender documents and is counted.

That is above NOK 1.3 million and below NOK 2.5 million, which is the EEA threshold for municipalities. The competition must therefore as a rule be advertised on Doffin, and Part II applies. Without the option, the value would have been NOK 1,100,000, and the municipality would not have had a duty to advertise.