Hilma guide: Finland's official procurement notice platform

Hilma is Finland's official free electronic notice channel for public procurement. It is maintained by the Ministry of Finance and operated through the hankintailmoitukset.fi website. Every contracting authority in Finland — municipalities, government agencies, universities, public utilities — is required to publish procurement notices on Hilma when the estimated value exceeds the applicable threshold.

The legal basis for Hilma is Section 60 of the Finnish Public Procurement Act (hankintalaki, 1397/2016). This section requires that contract notices for national and EU-threshold procurements are published electronically on Hilma before or simultaneously with any other publication. For EU-threshold procurements, Hilma forwards the notice to TED (Tenders Electronic Daily), the EU's procurement notice portal, ensuring cross-border visibility.

Hilma serves both contracting authorities and suppliers. For contracting authorities, it is the legally mandated publication channel. For suppliers, it is the primary discovery tool for Finnish public procurement opportunities. The platform is available in Finnish, Swedish, and partially in English, reflecting Finland's official languages and the requirements of EU procurement directives.

Understanding Hilma's role is essential for any company that wants to participate in Finnish public procurement. It is the starting point for finding opportunities, but it is not the only tool a supplier needs. Hilma publishes the notice — what follows next involves other systems and platforms, which we cover in the sections below.

Hilma has been in operation since 2011 in its current form and was significantly updated in 2019 to align with EU eForms standards. The platform processes thousands of notices annually, covering everything from small municipal service contracts to major national infrastructure projects worth hundreds of millions of euros.

Hilma publishes several distinct types of procurement notices, each serving a different purpose in the procurement lifecycle. Understanding these types helps suppliers know what action to take — and when.

The contract notice (hankintailmoitus) is the most important notice type for suppliers. It announces a specific procurement that is open for tenders. The contract notice includes the subject of the procurement, eligibility requirements, evaluation criteria, tender submission deadline, and a link to the e-procurement platform where documents are available. When you see a contract notice, the clock is ticking: you have a limited period to prepare and submit your tender.

A prior information notice (ennakkoilmoitus) signals an upcoming procurement before the formal contract notice is published. Contracting authorities use prior information notices to alert the market, often months in advance. For suppliers, these are valuable planning signals. A prior information notice can also reduce the minimum tender period in subsequent EU-threshold procurements from 30 days to 15 days, so contracting authorities have an incentive to publish them. Monitoring prior information notices gives suppliers more preparation time.

The contract award notice (jälki-ilmoitus) is published after a procurement has been completed and a contract has been awarded. It reveals who won, the contract value, and the number of tenders received. For suppliers, contract award notices are a competitive intelligence tool. They show which companies are winning in your sector, at what price points, and how competitive specific markets are. Studying contract award notices helps you calibrate your pricing and understand the competitive landscape.

A voluntary transparency notice (vapaaehtoinen avoimuusilmoitus) is published when a contracting authority has made a direct award without a competitive process and wants to provide transparency. This happens, for example, when a contracting authority believes the procurement is exempt from competitive tendering. Publishing a voluntary transparency notice starts a 14-day standstill period, during which competitors can challenge the direct award. If you believe a direct award was unjustified and you could have supplied the goods or services, this notice gives you the window to act.

A corrigendum (korjausilmoitus) corrects or amends a previously published notice. Contracting authorities publish corrigenda when they need to change deadlines, fix errors in the original notice, modify requirements, or clarify questions raised by potential bidders. Always check for corrigenda on procurements you are tracking — a missed corrigendum could mean your tender is based on outdated information or you miss an extended deadline.

In addition to these main types, Hilma also handles design contest notices, concession notices, and notices related to defence and security procurements under the PUTU Act. The platform categorizes all notices using CPV (Common Procurement Vocabulary) codes, which allows suppliers to search by industry and product category.

Hilma's search interface allows suppliers to find relevant procurement notices using several filters. The main search page at hankintailmoitukset.fi provides keyword search, CPV code filtering, geographic filtering by region, and filtering by notice type and procurement procedure. Combining these filters helps you narrow results to your specific market.

Keyword search is the simplest approach but has limitations. Finnish procurement notices are written in Finnish (and sometimes Swedish), so you need Finnish-language keywords to find relevant results. For example, searching for 'IT-konsultointi' (IT consulting) or 'rakennusurakka' (construction contract) will yield targeted results. English keywords rarely return results because the notice text is in Finnish.

CPV codes are the most reliable filtering method. CPV (Common Procurement Vocabulary) is an EU-wide classification system that assigns numeric codes to products and services. For example, 72000000 covers IT services, 45000000 covers construction, and 33000000 covers medical equipment. You can search at different levels of specificity — a broader code returns more results, a narrower code is more precise. Learn the CPV codes relevant to your business and use them consistently.

Geographic filtering lets you focus on specific regions in Finland. This is useful if your company operates locally or if logistics matter for the contract. You can filter by municipality, region, or view all national-level procurements. Some suppliers focus on their home region for smaller contracts while monitoring national notices for larger opportunities.

A typical Hilma notice contains: the contracting authority's name and contact details, a description of the procurement object, the estimated value (though this is not always disclosed), the procurement procedure type, eligibility requirements, evaluation criteria (lowest price or best price-quality ratio), the tender submission deadline, and a link to the e-procurement platform where documents and submission happen. The notice may also reference CPV codes, NUTS codes (geographic classification), and whether the procurement is divided into lots.

Hilma offers an email alert function that notifies you when new notices matching your criteria are published. You can set alerts based on CPV codes, keywords, or regions. This is useful but limited — the alerts are based on exact matches and may miss relevant notices that use different terminology. Many experienced suppliers combine Hilma alerts with manual searches and third-party monitoring tools for more complete coverage.

One practical tip: check Hilma regularly, not just when you receive an alert. New notices are published on business days, and the volume varies. During budget season (autumn) and early in the calendar year, publishing activity tends to increase as contracting authorities launch procurements for the coming period.

A common point of confusion for new suppliers is the relationship between Hilma and the actual procurement process. Hilma publishes the notice — the announcement that a procurement exists. But the procurement documents, tender submission, and communication with the contracting authority happen through a separate e-procurement platform. Hilma is the notice board; the work happens elsewhere.

When you click on a contract notice in Hilma, you will find a link to the e-procurement platform where the full procurement documents are available. In Finland, the most common platforms are Cloudia Kilpailutus (used by many municipalities and government agencies), Tarjouspalvelu.fi (a widely used tender portal), Hanki-palvelu (used by some state entities), and Mercell (used internationally). The contracting authority chooses which platform to use, and different authorities may use different platforms.

To access the procurement documents, you typically need to register on the relevant e-procurement platform and log in. Registration is usually free for suppliers. Once logged in, you can download the full request for proposals (RFP), technical specifications, draft contract terms, ESPD requirements, pricing templates, and any attachments. These documents contain the detailed information you need to prepare your tender — the Hilma notice alone is never sufficient.

Tender submission also happens through the e-procurement platform, not through Hilma. You prepare your tender according to the requirements, upload it to the platform, and submit it before the deadline. The platform timestamps your submission. Late submissions are automatically rejected — there are no exceptions in public procurement. Always submit well before the deadline to avoid technical issues.

Questions and clarifications during the tender period are also handled through the e-procurement platform. If you have questions about the procurement documents, you submit them through the platform's messaging function. The contracting authority publishes answers to all bidders simultaneously, maintaining equal treatment. Questions and answers become part of the procurement record.

This multi-platform workflow means that a supplier participating in Finnish public procurement needs to be registered on several systems: Hilma for monitoring notices, and at least one or two e-procurement platforms for accessing documents and submitting tenders. Managing accounts across these platforms is part of the operational reality of public procurement in Finland.

For EU-threshold procurements, the contracting authority must provide full electronic access to the procurement documents from the date the notice is published on Hilma. This means you should be able to download documents immediately. If the link in the Hilma notice does not work or the documents are not available, contact the contracting authority — this may be an error that needs correction.

Hilma is the primary and legally mandated notice channel, but it does not capture every public purchasing event in Finland. Understanding what appears on Hilma and what does not helps suppliers build a complete picture of the market.

Procurements below the national threshold are not required to be published on Hilma. The national threshold is €60,000 for goods and services and €150,000 for construction works. Below these values, contracting authorities can purchase without publishing a notice on Hilma. Some contracting authorities voluntarily publish smaller procurements on Hilma, but many do not. These below-threshold procurements are often published on the contracting authority's own website, on regional procurement portals, or announced through direct market inquiries.

Framework agreement call-offs are another category that typically does not appear on Hilma. When a contracting authority has an existing framework agreement with one or more suppliers, individual orders or mini-competitions under that framework are conducted directly between the parties. The original framework agreement was competed and published on Hilma, but the subsequent call-offs are not separately announced. This means a significant volume of public purchasing happens without individual notices on Hilma.

Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS) procurements follow a different pattern. The DPS establishment notice is published on Hilma, and new suppliers can join at any time. However, individual procurements within the DPS are sent directly to qualified suppliers within the system. These individual opportunities do not always appear as separate notices on Hilma. Being admitted to relevant DPS systems is therefore important for accessing these opportunities.

Some specialized sectors have additional channels. Defence and security procurements under the PUTU Act may have restricted publication requirements. Utilities sector entities (energy, water, transport) sometimes use their own procurement portals in addition to Hilma. Hansel, the state's central purchasing body, publishes its framework agreements on Hilma but also maintains its own website with additional detail.

The EU's TED (Tenders Electronic Daily) portal publishes all above-EU-threshold procurements from Finland and other EU/EEA countries. For Finnish procurements, TED notices are forwarded automatically from Hilma, so TED does not contain Finnish notices that are absent from Hilma. However, TED is essential if you also want to bid on public procurements in other EU member states.

Municipal and regional purchasing organizations sometimes publish procurement information on their own websites or through shared service portals. For example, some hospital districts, educational consortia, or regional waste management companies maintain their own procurement pages. These can be useful supplements to Hilma monitoring.

The practical implication for suppliers is clear: relying solely on Hilma means you will see the majority of above-threshold procurements but may miss below-threshold opportunities, framework call-offs, and DPS mini-competitions. A comprehensive approach combines Hilma with other sources.

Can I find all Finnish public procurements on Hilma? No. Hilma covers procurements above the national threshold (€60,000 for goods and services, €150,000 for construction). Below-threshold procurements, framework agreement call-offs, and DPS mini-competitions are not always published on Hilma. Hilma captures the majority of competitively tendered public procurement by value, but not by volume.

Can I submit my tender through Hilma? No. Hilma is a notice publication platform only. Tender submission happens through the e-procurement platform specified in the notice, such as Cloudia, Tarjouspalvelu.fi, or Mercell. You need to register on the relevant platform, download the documents, and submit your tender there.

Do I need to pay to use Hilma? No. Hilma is free for both contracting authorities and suppliers. You can search notices, set up email alerts, and view all published information without any fees. The e-procurement platforms where you submit tenders are also free for suppliers to register and use.

How do I get notified about new procurements on Hilma? Hilma offers an email alert function. You can set alerts based on CPV codes, keywords, and geographic regions. When a new notice matches your criteria, you receive an email. However, the matching is based on exact criteria, so relevant notices using different terminology may not trigger an alert. Review your alert settings periodically and supplement with manual searches.

Are Hilma notices available in English? Hilma's interface is partially available in English, and some EU-threshold notices include English-language descriptions. However, the vast majority of Finnish procurement notices are written in Finnish. For EU-threshold procurements, the TED portal may have a translated summary, but the detailed documents are almost always in Finnish. Suppliers bidding in Finland should expect to work with Finnish-language procurement documents.

How quickly are notices published on Hilma? Notices typically appear on Hilma within one business day of submission by the contracting authority. For EU-threshold procurements, the notice must appear on Hilma no later than 48 hours after confirmation of receipt from TED. In practice, most notices appear promptly. Contracting authorities can schedule publication dates in advance.

Can I search for past procurements on Hilma? Yes. Hilma maintains an archive of past notices, including contract award notices that show who won and at what price. This historical data is valuable for market research and competitive intelligence. The Tutki hankintoja (Explore Procurements) service from the State Treasury provides additional analytics on completed procurements and public spending.

What if a Hilma notice contains errors? Contracting authorities can publish a corrigendum (correction notice) to fix errors in a previously published notice. If you spot an error or inconsistency, contact the contracting authority through the e-procurement platform's messaging function. During the tender period, all communication should go through official channels to ensure equal treatment of bidders.

Do I need to register on Hilma to search for notices? No. You can browse and search Hilma notices without registering. However, creating an account allows you to set up email alerts, save searches, and personalize your experience. Registration is free and straightforward.

Haavi is a procurement monitoring and analysis service designed for suppliers. It aggregates procurement notices from multiple sources — including Hilma — into a single, searchable interface. The goal is to reduce the time suppliers spend monitoring various platforms and to surface relevant opportunities more effectively.

Haavi includes Hilma notices as a core data source. When a new notice is published on Hilma, it appears in Haavi. This means you do not need to choose between Hilma and Haavi — Haavi brings Hilma data to you alongside notices from other sources, giving you a broader view of the market in one place.

Beyond aggregation, Haavi adds analysis capabilities that Hilma does not provide. Haavi uses AI to analyze procurement documents, identify key requirements, and match opportunities to your company's profile. Instead of reading through every notice manually, you can focus on the procurements that are most relevant to your business. This saves time, especially for companies that operate across multiple sectors or regions.

Haavi's monitoring is continuous and automated. Rather than relying on keyword-based email alerts, Haavi uses intelligent matching that understands context and can identify relevant opportunities even when the terminology varies. This addresses one of the practical limitations of keyword-based search: procurement documents use inconsistent language, and a rigid keyword filter will miss relevant notices.

For companies that bid frequently, Haavi provides a workflow advantage. You can track procurement timelines, organize opportunities by priority, and maintain an overview of your active bidding pipeline. This operational layer sits on top of the notice data, turning passive monitoring into active opportunity management.

Haavi also provides access to historical procurement data and market analytics. You can see who has won previous contracts in your sector, analyze pricing patterns, and identify which contracting authorities are active buyers of your type of product or service. This competitive intelligence helps you decide which procurements to pursue and how to position your tenders.

The relationship between Hilma and Haavi is complementary. Hilma is the official, legally mandated publication channel — it is the authoritative source. Haavi builds on that foundation by aggregating, enriching, and analyzing the data to make it more actionable for suppliers. Using Haavi does not replace the need to understand how Hilma works. It makes working with Hilma and other procurement channels more efficient.