Tenders for architecture practices: how to win building commissions in Switzerland
Public tender, competition, direct award: how tenders for architecture practices work, and where private building commissions are actually awarded in Switzerland.
In construction, a «tender» means that a client is looking for an architecture practice for a specific project and lets several providers compete. How this works depends heavily on whether the award is public or private. This overview shows the procedures and where building commissions can actually be won in Switzerland.
Public or private: two different worlds
Public contracting authorities are bound by procurement law (the PPA at federal level, the IAPP for cantons and municipalities). Above certain thresholds they must tender formally: transparently, traceably and with the possibility of appeal. Private clients, by contrast, award freely. They choose the procedure themselves, invite whomever they like and decide without formal ties. The two worlds call for different strategies.
The main types of procedure
Open and selective procedure
In the open procedure, any practice can apply. In the selective procedure, suitability is assessed first (prequalification), and only then do the selected practices submit. Common in the public sector, with a high documentation effort.
Architectural competition (SIA 142/143)
The competition puts the project idea first: practices submit a design, and a jury assesses it anonymously. In terms of quality, it is the most demanding procedure, but it is laborious and its outcome uncertain, especially for smaller practices.
Direct award and invited competition
Here the client chooses a practice directly or invites a few. This is the dominant model in the private market: quick and straightforward, but only accessible if you know the client or catch their eye.
Where private building commissions are awarded in Switzerland
The private market is the largest and the hardest to access. Commissions are awarded through personal contacts, recommendations and, increasingly, specialised platforms that bring private tenders together. If you do not want to wait for your own network alone, you need a channel that continuously shows vetted building projects.
What decides the award
- —Suitability and references: relevant experience for the type of project.
- —Approach to the task: a clear, convincing stance instead of standard text.
- —Fee: appropriate and calculated in a comprehensible way.
- —Schedule and availability: realistic commitments.
- —Trust: discretion and professional communication.
Private tenders via Architektonik
Architektonik makes the private tendering market accessible: clients tender projects, and vetted architecture practices submit sealed fee bids. Every practice and every tender is vetted before entering the House, and the client’s identity remains anonymous until the award. This keeps the procedure discreet and fair. Access costs CHF 39.90 per single entry or CHF 149.90 per month with the Atelier subscription; clients use the platform free of charge.
Public tender, competition or private commission: if you know the procedures and also use a vetted channel for private tenders, you broaden your order base considerably.