Direct award

A direct award, often called a negotiated or free-hand award in Swiss terminology, permits a contracting authority to award a contract without inviting competing bids. It is generally reserved for low-value contracts or exceptional situations such as technical exclusivity, urgency not caused by the authority, or necessary follow-on services. Because it restricts competition, the grounds must be interpreted narrowly and documented. Depending on the contract and regime, publication or remedies may still be relevant.