Eti Mah. Toros Sok. No: 15/5, Hikmet Ünal Business Centre, 06570 Çankaya / Ankara, Türkiye
Practice area
Bid protests, appeals to the Public Procurement Authority and litigation for bidders in Turkish tenders.
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Public tenders in Türkiye are governed by Public Procurement Law No. 4734 and Public Procurement Contracts Law No. 4735. Deadlines are short and strictly applied: a complaint filed one day late is rejected without examination, however strong the case.
The Public Procurement Authority (KİK) sits in Ankara. Since the firm’s foundation, public procurement has been one of our core practices; we act for Turkish and foreign bidders at every stage from tender documents to the Council of State.
At a glance
Most disqualifications stem from formal defects: an expired document, a work-experience certificate that does not match the similar-work definition, a bid bond in the wrong amount or with the wrong validity. We review tender documents and bid files before submission and, where the documents themselves are unlawful, challenge them in time.
A complaint must first be lodged with the contracting authority within ten days of the date the bidder became, or should have become, aware of the unlawful act — five days in procedures under Article 21(b) and (c) and in tenders below the threshold values. The authority must decide within ten days.
If the complaint is rejected or not answered in time, an appeal (itirazen şikâyet) may be filed with the Public Procurement Authority within ten days. KİK reviews the file on the documents and may annul the tender or order corrective action. The application fee depends on the estimated cost of the tender.
Where bids appear abnormally low, the authority asks bidders to explain their prices. The explanation must follow the format required by the regulations, with price quotes, analyses and supporting documents; a technically flawed explanation means rejection of the bid even if the price is achievable.
Bidders and contractors who commit acts listed in Article 58 of Law No. 4734 — such as fraud, collusion or failing to sign the contract — may be debarred from all public tenders for one to two years. Debarment decisions can be challenged before the administrative courts with a request for a stay of execution.
During performance, disputes arise over price adjustment, time extensions, additional works, penalties and termination. Termination of the contract may also trigger forfeiture of the performance bond and debarment, so the contractor’s response must be prepared carefully.
KİK decisions may be challenged within thirty days before the Ankara administrative courts under the expedited procedure of Article 20/A of the Administrative Procedure Law. Decisions on appeal go to the Council of State.
Related articles
Yes, unless the tender is limited to domestic bidders. Foreign bidders may face a domestic price advantage applied in favour of Turkish bidders, and their documents must be apostilled and translated.
Use our legal deadline calculator, which covers the procurement deadlines and public holidays — but always confirm with a lawyer, as the start date is often disputed.
Discuss your public procurement law matter
Tell us briefly what happened and whether any deadline is running; we will explain the options and next steps. We work in English, French and Turkish.
Guides
Public Procurement Law3 min read
How bidders challenge tender decisions in Türkiye: complaint to the contracting authority, appeal to the Public Procurement Authority (KİK), fees, deadlines and court review.
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