Bundesrat approves procurement acceleration act with more direct awards

Smaller direct awards are expressly possible under national law too (local public transport below 300,000 bus-km or EUR 1 million a year, regional rail below 500,000 train-km or EUR 7.5 million a year); the staff-transfer rule now covers all necessary staff instead of only those directly necessary, but not bus services; for projects financed from the infrastructure special fund and for transport infrastructure, lots may be awarded together for reasons of time. The unions EVG and mobifair call the act a minimal consensus with many missed opportunities.

The Bundestag passed the Procurement Acceleration Act (Vergabebeschleunigungsgesetz) on 23 April 2026 and the Bundesrat approved it on 8 May 2026. For local transport it makes three changes: the 'should' rule on taking over staff when an operator changes in regional rail now covers all necessary staff instead of only those directly necessary; smaller direct awards (local public transport below 300,000 bus-km or EUR 1 million, regional rail below 500,000 train-km or EUR 7.5 million a year) are expressly possible under national law too; and for infrastructure projects contracts may be bundled instead of split into lots for reasons of time. The unions EVG and mobifair call it a minimal consensus: a binding 'must' rule, extension to bus services and direct awards as the standard procedure were left out (LOK Report, 8 May 2026; first reported 30 Apr 2026).