City of Munich Secures Major Framework for Active Network Components (2027-2030)

A framework agreement for active network components worth up to €162 million has been awarded by the City of Munich. The contract, won by Computacenter AG & Co oHG, demonstrates how major German cities are investing in critical IT infrastructure to support their digital transformation and public services.

Introduction

Every public service in a modern city relies on robust, secure, and high-performance network infrastructure. From online citizen services to internal government communications, from public safety systems to municipal operations, the City of Munich's digital backbone depends on active network components. The City has taken a significant step to ensure this infrastructure meets future demands by awarding a new framework agreement for active network components.

While not a headline-grabbing consumer technology deal, this contract is fundamental to ensuring that Munich's digital infrastructure remains reliable, secure, and future-proof through 2030. It reveals a great deal about how major German cities are modernising their IT infrastructure through strategic procurement.

Why This Contract Matters

Munich is Germany's third-largest city and the capital of Bavaria, with a population of approximately 1.5 million residents. The City's IT infrastructure supports a vast range of services, including citizen portals, administrative systems, public safety networks, schools, libraries, and municipal utilities.

The framework agreement covers active network components from Cisco Systems, the dominant provider in enterprise networking. The contract includes hardware supply, software and licenses, delivery, installation, support, and related services for the City's existing LAN and WAN infrastructure. This multi-year agreement ensures that Munich's network infrastructure can be maintained, upgraded, and expanded as needed.

Contract Timeline

• Previous notice referenced: 211673-2026
• Contract award notice published: 22 July 2026 (OJ S 139/2026)
• Contract concluded: 26 June 2026

Contract Overview

The City of Munich conducted an open procedure for a framework agreement for active network components. The contract covers existing and new active network components from manufacturer Cisco Systems, including software, licenses, delivery, assembly, and support, as well as additional services for the City's existing LAN and WAN infrastructure.

The maximum value of the framework agreement is €162,000,000, with an estimated value of €111,428,571.43. The contract duration is 48 months. The framework agreement is established with a single economic operator, Computacenter AG & Co oHG. The framework is without reopening of competition for individual call-offs.

Key Contract Details

Detail	Information
Contracting Authority	Landeshauptstadt München, IT@M-BO4, Vergabemanagement
Winning Bidder	Computacenter AG & Co oHG
Contract Subject	Active network components (CPV 32000000, 32422000, 32420000, 32421000)
Manufacturer	Cisco Systems
Procedure Type	Open procedure
Legal Basis	Directive 2014/24/EU, VgV
Estimated Value (ex-VAT)	€111,428,571.43
Maximum Framework Value	€162,000,000.00
Contract Duration	48 Months
Award Criteria	Price (100%)
Bids Received	1
EU Funding	None disclosed
Covered by GPA	Yes
Review Organisation	Regierung von Oberbayern, Vergabekammer Südbayern

Project Scope

The framework agreement covers a comprehensive range of services for the City of Munich's network infrastructure:

• Hardware Supply: Provision of active network components from Cisco Systems, including switches, routers, firewalls, wireless access points, and other network equipment.
• Software and Licenses: Supply of necessary software and licensing for network components.
• Delivery and Assembly: Delivery and installation of network components.
• Support and Maintenance: Third-level support, Technical Assistance Center (TAC) support from Cisco, and ongoing maintenance.
• Design and Consulting: Design, customisation, consulting, and support services.
• Configuration and Commissioning: Configuration, commissioning, and system familiarisation.
• Cabling and Patching: Patching cables, including 1:1 replacement for troubleshooting, delivery and patching for new installations or expansions.
• Decommissioning: Dismantling and disposal of old equipment.
• Data Management: Recording, changing, and incorporating user data and routing tables.

About the Contracting Authority

Landeshauptstadt München, IT@M-BO4, Vergabemanagement is the IT procurement unit of the City of Munich. The City of Munich is Germany's third-largest city with approximately 1.5 million residents, and one of Germany's most important economic and cultural centres. The City's IT infrastructure supports a vast range of public services, including citizen portals, administrative systems, public safety, education, and municipal utilities. The IT@M unit is responsible for managing the City's IT strategy, operations, and procurement.

About the Winning Company

Computacenter AG & Co oHG is a large German IT services and solutions provider, and a subsidiary of the international Computacenter Group, one of Europe's largest independent IT infrastructure providers. Based in Munich, Computacenter specialises in IT infrastructure, networking solutions, cloud services, and digital workplace solutions. The company has extensive experience in providing network infrastructure solutions for public sector clients, including government entities and large enterprises. Computacenter is listed on a regulated market.

Procurement Analysis

Procedure: An open procedure was used, following the German VgV (Procurement Regulation). One tender was received, submitted electronically.

Competition: Only one bid was received for this contract, reflecting the specialised nature of the requirement for Cisco Systems equipment and services. The limited competition is typical for manufacturer-specific procurement, where the manufacturer's certified partners may be limited.

Award Criteria: Price was the sole award criterion with 100% weighting. This reflects the nature of hardware procurement where technical specifications are clearly defined by the requirement for Cisco Systems equipment, making price the primary differentiator among qualified bidders.

Strategic Procurement: The contract includes strategic procurement objectives focused on:

• Reduction of Environmental Impacts: Sustainable IT practices and environmental considerations in procurement.
• Fulfilment of Social Objectives: Accessibility for all, ethnic equality, gender equality, human rights due diligence in global supply chains, fair working conditions, and other social objectives.

Framework Structure: The agreement is structured as a framework agreement without reopening of competition, meaning that the City of Munich can directly call off network components and services against the framework terms for the duration of the contract.

Value Publication: The maximum value of the framework agreement is not published in the notice, as the contracting authority has determined that disclosure would harm the commercial interests of the successful bidder (in accordance with Article 50(4) of Directive 2014/24/EU and § 39(6) VgV).

GPA Status: The procurement is covered by the World Trade Organization's Government Procurement Agreement (GPA), meaning it was, in principle, open to qualifying international bidders.

Additional Procurement Facts

• Only one tender was received, from Computacenter AG & Co oHG.
• The framework covers Cisco Systems equipment exclusively.
• The contract duration is 48 months (4 years).
• No subcontracting was used by the winning bidder.
• The contract includes strategic procurement objectives for environmental and social sustainability.
• No EU funding was used for this procurement.
• Disputes or review requests fall to the Regierung von Oberbayern, Vergabekammer Südbayern (Government of Upper Bavaria, Procurement Chamber South Bavaria).

Market & Industry Perspective

The enterprise networking market is dominated by a small number of manufacturers, with Cisco Systems being the global leader. Public sector organisations often standardise on a single vendor to ensure interoperability, simplify management, and leverage volume discounts.

The price-only award criterion (100% price) reflects the nature of this procurement, where the technical specifications are clearly defined by the requirement for Cisco Systems equipment and the range of services required. With the technical requirements specified, price becomes the primary differentiator among qualified Cisco partners.

The inclusion of strategic procurement objectives for environmental and social sustainability reflects the growing importance of sustainability in German public procurement, even for IT infrastructure. This includes requirements for sustainable IT practices, human rights due diligence in supply chains, and fair working conditions.

Economic Significance

At up to €162 million, this framework agreement represents one of the largest IT infrastructure procurements by a German city in recent years. The contract ensures that Munich's network infrastructure remains modern, secure, and capable of supporting the City's digital transformation through 2030.

For Computacenter, the framework provides a stable, multi-year revenue stream and a prestigious reference client in the German public sector.

Future Procurement Opportunities

This framework agreement covers network components through 2030. Related procurement opportunities may include:

• Network security solutions
• Cloud and data centre infrastructure
• IT consulting and digital transformation services
• Other IT infrastructure categories

Other major German cities may adopt similar frameworks for network infrastructure, creating opportunities for suppliers with proven capabilities.

Opportunities for Suppliers

IT infrastructure providers active in the German public sector should note the growing demand for comprehensive network frameworks. Manufacturer-specific procurement (e.g., Cisco) requires suppliers to maintain strong partnerships with key manufacturers and demonstrate certified expertise.

Key success factors include: competitive pricing, Cisco certification and partnership, proven experience in public sector network projects, the ability to deliver comprehensive services (hardware, software, installation, support, decommissioning), and demonstrated commitment to environmental and social sustainability.

What Businesses Should Watch

• Similar network infrastructure procurements from other German cities and public sector organisations.
• The evolution of Cisco's product portfolio and certification requirements.
• Opportunities for subcontracting with Computacenter on this framework.
• The development of sustainability requirements in IT procurement.

GermanyTender Procurement Intelligence

This contract is a significant case study in how major German cities are investing in critical IT infrastructure. The City of Munich has secured a major framework agreement for active network components, with Computacenter selected as the winner through a price-based open procedure.

The most notable feature of this tender is the single-bidder outcome. Only one tender was received, reflecting the specialised nature of the requirement for Cisco Systems equipment and the limited number of certified partners capable of delivering the full scope of services required. This highlights the importance of maintaining strong manufacturer relationships and certification for suppliers in this market.

The 100% weighting for price reflects the nature of this procurement, where technical specifications are clearly defined by the manufacturer and the comprehensive scope of services. With the technical requirements specified, price becomes the primary differentiator among qualified bidders.

The inclusion of strategic procurement objectives for environmental and social sustainability is noteworthy. Even for large IT infrastructure procurements, the City of Munich is embedding sustainability requirements, reflecting the broader trend toward sustainable public procurement in Germany.

For suppliers, the lesson is that manufacturer certification and partnership are essential for manufacturer-specific procurement. Companies with strong manufacturer relationships and comprehensive service capabilities are best positioned for these large-scale infrastructure frameworks. Price competitiveness remains critical when technical requirements are clearly specified.

Supplier Takeaways

• Manufacturer certification (Cisco) is essential for this market segment.
• Price is the sole award criterion (100%) when technical requirements are specified.
• Comprehensive service capabilities (hardware, software, installation, support) are required.
• Sustainability credentials (environmental and social) are increasingly important.
• Single-bidder tenders are common for manufacturer-specific procurement.
• Large-scale framework agreements offer multi-year revenue stability.

Key Takeaways

• City of Munich awarded a major framework for active network components to Computacenter AG & Co oHG.
• The framework covers Cisco Systems equipment with a maximum value of €162 million.
• Award criteria: Price (100%).
• Only one bid was received, from Computacenter.
• Contract duration: 48 months (2027-2030).
• The contract includes strategic sustainability objectives for environmental and social responsibility.

Conclusion

This is not a consumer-oriented contract, but it reflects something structurally important about how major German cities are investing in critical IT infrastructure. By awarding a major framework agreement for active network components to Computacenter, the City of Munich ensures that its digital infrastructure remains modern, secure, and capable of supporting public services through 2030. The contract demonstrates the importance of manufacturer certification, price competitiveness, and sustainability in modern IT procurement.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is the City of Munich's IT procurement unit?

IT@M-BO4, Vergabemanagement is the unit responsible for managing the City of Munich's IT procurement, including the acquisition of network infrastructure and related services.

Q: What does this framework cover?

It covers active network components from Cisco Systems, including hardware, software, licenses, delivery, installation, support, decommissioning, and related services.

Q: Who is the winning bidder?

Computacenter AG & Co oHG, a large German IT services provider and Cisco partner.

Q: What is the value of this framework?

The maximum value is €162 million, with an estimated value of €111,428,571.43. The exact maximum value is not published to protect the commercial interests of the successful bidder.

Q: Is this contract funded by the EU?

No. The notice confirms the project is not financed with EU funds, though it is governed by EU Directive 2014/24/EU.

Source: EU Official Journal, Contract Award Notice 505948-2026, OJ S 139/2026, published 22 July 2026.