What are CPV codes? A guide for public procurement

What are CPV (Common Procurement Vocabulary) codes?

CPV codes (Common Procurement Vocabulary) are standard classification codes used in public procurement to describe goods, services and works. They help buyers classify what they need to buy and help suppliers find relevant contract opportunities. 

Each code relates to a particular type of product or service. The examples below show how they are used in different areas of procurement:

• 72000000: information technology services
• 45000000: construction work
• 50000000: repair and maintenance services
• 60100000: transport services

How CPV codes are used

Buyers select CPV codes when publishing procurement notices and tender documents.

As a buyer, the code you choose should reflect what is being bought as accurately as possible. Where a requirement covers more than one area, it may be appropriate or necessary to include more than one CPV code.

Buyers can find CPV codes using classification lists within procurement systems such as the Find a Tender service when publishing procurement notices. These systems allow users to search or filter codes based on the types of goods or services being bought.

Suppliers can then use CPV codes to search for contract opportunities that match the goods or services they provide within these systems. The Find a Tender service allows them to save regular searches and filter them by CPV code to further improve the visibility of opportunities. 

How are CPV codes structured?

CPV codes are made up of numbers that represent different levels of classification.

This structure groups codes into broad categories and sub-categories. For example, CPV code 72000000 covers information technology (IT) services as a broad category. Within this category, there are more specific codes that describe particular types of IT services:

• 72000000: IT services
  • 72200000: software programming and consultancy services
    • 72262000: software development services
  • 72700000: computer network services

This structure allows buyers to describe their requirements at different levels of detail, depending on what they are buying. 

Why are CPV codes used?

Public sector organisations use CPV codes to provide a shared ‘language’ for describing what a buyer is looking for. 

This system helps to address the challenge of organisations describing their requirements in different ways. For example, one organisation might describe a requirement as “IT support”, while another uses “technical support services”. This can make it harder for suppliers to find relevant opportunities.

Buyers can instead use CPV codes to categorise their requirements in a consistent, searchable way.

CPV codes help to:

• make procurement opportunities easier to find
• improve consistency across procurement notices and tender documents
• set out the scope of a contract to help suppliers identify relevant contract opportunities
• add depth to the way procurement data can be searched and compared

CPV codes are part of a wider set of tools used in public procurement to help buyers structure and publish opportunities to reach relevant suppliers.

CPV codes can also support buyers in conducting early market engagement, procurement planning, and analysis of past spend in specific categories or markets. For example, these codes can: 

• be applied to notices of engagement activity so they come up in supplier searches
• allow previous contracts and spend to be easily grouped for analysis 

Choosing the right CPV code as a buyer

Choosing the right CPV code as a buyer is important. By choosing an accurate code or set of codes, you can find the most relevant suppliers for your needs more easily. 

If a code is too broad, suppliers may not be able to clearly identify whether an opportunity is relevant. This is where it is important to apply all relevant codes that cover your requirements, in order to ensure the range of suppliers who find the opportunity can fulfil all your needs. 

Applying multiple codes that address all aspects of your contract helps to further increase the transparency of the opportunity to suppliers, diversifying your potential supplier base. 

However, if your choice of codes makes the definition for a contract too narrow or inaccurate, relevant suppliers may not even find the opportunity. It is therefore important not just to apply every possible code to your procurement, but those which accurately reflect the services you require. 

Find out more

You may also find the following guidance helpful:

• what is a framework? – how frameworks are used to set up agreements for common purchases
• what is a dynamic market? – an alternative route for suppliers to access opportunities
• what is a call-off contract? – how individual contracts are awarded under frameworks
• what is the competitive flexible procedure? – a flexible approach to running procurements