Mercateo is Europe’s leading e-procurement platform for ordering and supplying products and services.
This platform does not allow buyers to choose from multiple quotes. In order to prevent competitive advantages for certain suppliers registered with Mercateo, it may not be used as the principal e-procurement platform.
Mercateo’s supplier system does not provide sufficient transparency for customers. Customers can merely see the manufacturer, not the trading partner offering the product. In addition, Mercateo requires suppliers to register and pay a fee. Competition is thus forestalled.
There are, however, no public procurement law concerns against using Mercateo as an option when obtaining tenders. Placing an order with Mercateo is legally possible if their offer proves to be the most economical of three options.
Public institutions and administrative offices may register with Mercateo. Furthermore, ordering does not require prior registration.
Please note that orders will be placed via a VOL purchase order (a purchase order as set forth in the German regulations for public procurement agreements) which will be transmitted to Mercateo. The order will then be forwarded to the respective supplier delivering the desired product. As the invoice is issued through Mercateo, the e-procurement platform is the contractual partner. In the event of a warranty claim, Mercateo may replace the delivered product or exchange it for a faultless one. Alternatively, the customer may receive a credit note in the value of the returned goods without deductions. There is a one-year limited warranty.