Definition
A contracting authority (αναθέτουσα αρχή) is the public body that launches a public contract award procedure, evaluates the bids and signs the contract with the contractor. Law 4412/2016 (article 2) defines as contracting authorities the state, regional and local authorities, bodies governed by public law and associations of them.
In practice this covers ministries and their services, regions, municipalities and municipal legal entities, hospitals and health regions, universities and research centres, social security organisations, independent authorities and dozens of other legal entities controlled or mainly funded by the state.
Contracting authority and contracting entity
The law distinguishes two concepts. A contracting authority is the classic public body under Book I of Law 4412/2016. A contracting entity (αναθέτων φορέας) is an organisation active in the energy, water, transport or postal sectors that follows the more flexible rules of Book II. Examples of contracting entities are the power utility ΔΕΗ, the grid operator ΔΕΔΔΗΕ, the Athens water company ΕΥΔΑΠ, the Athens transport group ΟΑΣΑ and its subsidiaries, the Thessaloniki water company ΕΥΑΘ and the port authorities.
For the supplier the distinction has practical weight: contracting entities have higher thresholds for the European rules, more freedom in choosing procedures and often their own supplier qualification systems.
Where you meet it
The name of the contracting authority appears on the first page of every tender document, in every ΚΗΜΔΗΣ record and in every TED notice. In ΚΗΜΔΗΣ each body has its own code and its own units (procurement departments, technical services), so the same municipality can appear under different units in different tenders.
What it means for the supplier
The contracting authority is the customer. What it buys each year, through which procedure, in what contract size, from which suppliers and how fast it pays are all public information, scattered across ΚΗΜΔΗΣ and Διαύγεια. A supplier who has them gathered before bidding knows whether the body buys its product regularly, who usually wins and at what discount, and whether it is worth investing time in this particular tender.
The GOVADI platform keeps profiles for more than 4,600 contracting authorities: what they buy, how often, typical contract size, from whom, and what they actually paid. The profile opens from any tender with one click.
Frequently asked questions
Are state-owned companies contracting authorities?
Most large state-owned companies active in energy, water, transport and postal services are contracting entities under Book II of Law 4412/2016 rather than contracting authorities under Book I. They follow similar principles but with higher thresholds and more flexibility.
Where can I find all contracting authorities?
There is no single public directory with profiles. ΚΗΜΔΗΣ offers a search by body and Διαύγεια a search by posting body. The GOVADI platform combines the two into one profile per authority.