PIN (Prior Information Notice)

A Prior Information Notice, abbreviated as PIN, is an official notice that a contracting authority publishes to signal its intention to launch a procurement procedure in the foreseeable future. PINs are a regulated instrument under European Union procurement directives and equivalent frameworks in the United Kingdom and other countries. They serve as an early warning to the supplier market.

A Prior Information Notice, abbreviated as PIN, is an official notice that a contracting authority publishes to signal its intention to launch a procurement procedure in the foreseeable future. PINs are a regulated instrument under European Union procurement directives and equivalent frameworks in the United Kingdom and other countries. They serve as an early warning to the supplier market.

Purpose of a Prior Information Notice

PINs allow contracting authorities to alert the supplier market to upcoming procurement opportunities well before the formal tender is published. This early warning gives suppliers time to plan, allocate resources, develop partnerships, and prepare bid teams. For complex or specialised contracts where preparation time is critical, PINs can be the difference between a competitive market and a thin field of bidders.

Beyond signalling intent, PINs also serve a regulatory function. Under EU procurement law, publishing a PIN can shorten the minimum time periods for the eventual tender. A contracting authority that publishes a PIN at least 35 days before launching a tender can reduce the minimum tender response time from 30 days to 15 days. This procedural benefit makes PINs attractive for buyers wanting to move quickly through the formal stages.

PINs are sometimes used as an alternative call for competition. In specific circumstances, especially for sub-central authorities, a PIN can itself initiate a procurement, with interested suppliers responding directly to the notice rather than waiting for a formal contract notice.

What a PIN typically contains

A PIN identifies the contracting authority, describes the planned procurement in general terms, indicates the estimated value, and provides expected timelines. The level of detail is lower than in a full contract notice. Specifications, evaluation criteria, and submission instructions are usually not included at the PIN stage because the buyer is still finalising the procurement design.

Most PINs include contact information for suppliers wanting to express interest, request additional information, or attend market consultation events. Suppliers responding to PINs often gain useful early-stage access to the buyer, which can translate into better understanding of requirements when the formal tender is published.

How suppliers should respond to a PIN

PINs are an opportunity, not an obligation. Suppliers should monitor PINs in their target sectors and geographies as part of routine market intelligence. When a relevant PIN appears, the supplier should consider the strategic value of the upcoming opportunity and decide whether to invest time in early engagement.

Engagement options include attending any announced market consultation events, requesting a meeting with the buyer to discuss the upcoming procurement, and responding to any preliminary questions the buyer poses. Suppliers who engage early often build relationships that influence the eventual tender specification and improve their win probability when the formal stage arrives.

Track relevant PINs systematically. A supplier active in multiple markets may receive dozens of PINs each month. Filtering for genuine fit, prioritising by contract value and strategic importance, and assigning ownership for follow-up are all critical practices for converting PINs into pipeline.

PINs in different jurisdictions

In the European Union, PINs are governed by the public procurement directives and published on Tenders Electronic Daily. Each member state may have additional national publication requirements. In the United Kingdom, PINs are published on Find a Tender Service for above-threshold contracts and Contracts Finder for sub-threshold contracts. The substantive function is similar to the EU regime.

In other markets, the equivalent of a PIN may be called a Notice of Intent, a Forecast Notice, or simply an Early Notice. The function is similar across systems even when the terminology differs. International suppliers operating across multiple jurisdictions need to recognise the equivalent instruments in each market.

Related terms

See Otnox plans to track procurement opportunities across 25 markets.