Electronic signature for public contracts: what you need to know
In short
A public contract signed online requires a higher signature level than the INPI Guichet unique. Here is that level, where to get it, and what ClairSign does for you. A document the buyer asks you to sign? Advanced signature, from €19.90 incl. VAT.
Sign my document1. The rule for public contracts
The electronic signature of public procurement contracts is governed by the order of 22 March 2019. It requires an advanced electronic signature based on a qualified certificate
, or a qualified electronic signature
.
In practice, the certificate must be issued in your name by a supervised provider, at the highest level set by the European eIDAS regulation. The public buyer checks this level.
2. Where to get this certificate
This certificate is issued after your identity has been checked. It most often comes in one of these forms:
- a USB key or a card to plug into your computer;
- a remote certificate, used from the provider’s website.
Approved providers are listed on the European Union trusted list. Allow a few days: the identity check and delivery take time. A certificate is usually bought for 1 to 3 years.
3. The difference from the INPI Guichet unique
They are two separate procedures, with two separate requirements:
| Procedure | What is required | ClairSign |
|---|---|---|
| Company filing on the INPI Guichet unique | An advanced electronic signature, checked at filing | Yes, in minutes |
| Public procurement contract signed online | The level set by the order of 22 March 2019 | No, you need a provider that issues this level |
What the Guichet unique is explained on our page what the Guichet unique requires.
A formality on the Guichet unique? Sign my document
Frequently asked questions
Can ClairSign sign a public procurement document?
ClairSign applies an advanced electronic signature to the PDF the buyer’s platform asks you to sign. Read the consultation rules first: they state the signature level required. For the contract itself (the acte d’engagement), the French order of 22 March 2019 requires a certificate of a level that ClairSign does not issue.
Do I have to sign the ESPD (DUME) or the bid?
Not necessarily: the application and the bid do not have to be signed, unless the buyer requires it in the consultation documents. Only the contract must be signed, when it is awarded.
Must the bid be signed when it is submitted?
It depends on the buyer: read the consultation rules. They say whether the signature is required at submission or only when the contract is awarded.
Does my public procurement certificate work for INPI?
The Guichet unique checks that the certificate comes from an authority listed on the trusted list of the European Union, and that it belongs to a person. A public procurement certificate usually meets these conditions.
Sources: order of 22 March 2019 on the electronic signature of public procurement contracts (Légifrance) , Regulation (EU) No 910/2014 “eIDAS” , European Union trusted list.