Since 7 May 2010, the Spanish State Procurement Platform ('Plataforma de Contratación del Estado') has been functioning based on the new specifications for Interoperable Components and Documents for Electronic Procurement - the so-called 'CODICE 2.0 specifications', which were published on the same day.

CODICE is an architecture of standard electronic components and documents for the development of eProcurement applications in Spain in compliance with the procedures and provisions of the EU Directive 2004/18/EC and the Spanish regulations on public procurement, as well as with the international standards and recommendations on the identification, designation, definition and establishment of those components.

The CODICE architecture provides a library of standard components that are re-usable and expandable or adjustable to various contexts or to the needs of specific public contracts, in an aim to meet the information needs pertaining to the exchange of documents and messages throughout the entire cycle of the eProcurement procedures contained in Directive 2004/18/EC. Likewise, it provides a library of standard basic or common eDocuments used in the framework of such procedures.

Version 2.0 of the CODICE specifications represents a quality leap compared to the previous versions and as such, it will further facilitate the automation of electronic procurement. The specifications are the result of the two years of operation of the State Procurement Platform as well as of joint efforts with international standardisation organisations such as the European Committee for Standardization (CEN) and the Organization for the Advancement of Structured Information Standards (OASIS).

The new documents will form part of the UBL 2.1 eCommerce language, whose future evolution will be supported by OASIS.

It is worth mentioning that during the elaboration of the new specifications, the requirements raised by the General Directorate of the State Patrimony and the General Directorate of Public Treasury and Financial Policy (Spanish Ministry of Economy and Enterprise), as well as by the Procurement Platform of the Government of Catalonia and the working groups of the aforementioned standardisation organisations were taken into account. 

 

Further information: 

• Original news article - State Procurement Platform (in Spanish)
• State Procurement Platform (in Spanish)
• Guide for the implementation of CODICE 2.0 documents (in Spanish)
• Directive 2004/18/EC on the coordination of procedures for the award of public works contracts, public supply contracts and public service contracts