Almost 73% of analyzed tenders fail to meet quality, transparency, and access criteria
The latest report from the Observatory of Public Administration Advertising Tenders, promoted by La FEDE and ACT, reveals a worrying setback in the quality and transparency of public tenders for advertising services. According to data from the second quarter of 2025, the number of tenders has grown (406 compared to 289 in the first quarter), but so have entry barriers and lack of equity.
Among the analyzed tenders (those with budgets over €100,000), more than 72% fail to meet the Observatory’s basic criteria, with especially alarming figures regarding the demand for high invoicing without justification (88.3%), prioritization of price over quality (60.6%), insufficient deadlines (45.1% give less than three weeks), and exclusively electronic submission (96.5%).
The report also points to the Autonomous Communities as the administrations with the highest rate of non-compliance (86.8%), followed by Provincial Councils and City Councils (74%). The Central Administration shows a slight improvement compared to the previous quarter, although it is still far from optimal compliance.
La FEDE reminds that these conditions not only harm the fabric of independent agencies and SMEs, but also limit the effectiveness of public campaigns. Therefore, through the Observatory —directed by Professor Fernando Montañés since 2021—, the need for fairer, more technical, and open tenders is emphasized, benefiting both the sector and the administration itself.
From APCP, we support and disseminate initiatives like this that seek to raise the standards of professionalism and equity in the joint work between the public sector and advertising companies.
