The DC1 is the application letter: it states who is responding, alone or in a group. The DC2 is the candidate’s statement: it presents his/her economic, financial and technical capabilities. The DUME is a European form that can replace both. The rules of the consultation indicate what the buyer expects.
In short
- DC1 = who is running for the nomination. DC2 = what the candidate is worth. DUME = both, in a European format.
- The public buyer must accept an application submitted in the form of a DUME.
- These parts are being prepared once and update themselves, rather than having to re-learn everything every time they answer a question.
Application and offer: two different documents
Responding to a public tender involves submitting two sets of documents:
- The candidacy said Who you are and if you have the ability to execute the market. That’s where the DC1, the DC2 or the DUME are located.
- The offer said What you are proposing Technical documentation, prize certificates, commitment document.
The buyer checks the applications and compares the offers; in some procedures, he or she may review the offers first. An incomplete application can be completed at the buyer’s request, but this is not always required: it is better to submit the application in its entirety.
DC1: The letter of candidacy
The DC1 identifies the candidate and the market to which it responds. It specifies:
- if you are applying alone or in a group, and in this case the form of the group and its agent ;
- the market and, if necessary, the lots for whom you are running; ;
- your declaration under oath that you are not in a situation of’prohibition to submit tenders.
DC2: the candidate's statement
The DC2 presents the capabilities from the candidate, or from each member of the group:
- identification of the company; ;
- Sales figure of the latest exercises; ;
- staff ;
- References and technical means; ;
- Certifications and qualifications, as required by the regulations.
As a group, each member fills his own DC2.
The DC1 and DC2 forms are available from the Legal Affairs Directorate of the Ministry of the Economy on economie.gouv.fr. Always download the online version: it is updated.
The DUME: a single European form
The Unique document of the European market (DUME) groups together, in a model established by the European Commission, what the DC1 and the DC2 contain.
Two useful rules:
- The buyer must accept it A candidate can still submit their candidacy in the form of a DUME instead of the declarations and information requested (Public Procurement Code, Article R2143-4).
- It is reusable : a DUME already used in a previous procedure can be reused, provided that it is confirmed that its information is still valid.
DC1, DC2 or DUME: which one to choose?
Start with the Rules for the consultation : it specifies the expected form.
| Situation | What you provide |
|---|---|
| The regulation requires the DC1 and DC2 forms | DC1 + DC2 (or a DUME, which the buyer must accept) |
| The regulation proposes the DUME | The DUME, online on the platform |
| You answer in a group | One common DC1, one DC2 per member (or one DUME per member) |
| Private market | What the buyer asks for: he freely sets his own requirements |
The documents that accompany the candidacy
According to the market, the regulation also requires:
- one excerpt from Kbis ;
- the Certificates of tax and social compliance (URSSAF), required of the candidate selected before the award; ;
- the insurance certificates : professional civil liability, and decennial in the building; ;
- the Certificates and qualifications from the sector: for example Qualibat in the building sector, Qualiopi for a training organization that mobilizes public or mutualized funds; ;
- the References : certificates of good performance, lists of similar contracts; ;
- the balance sheet or any proof of financial capacity; ;
- the DC4 if you are presenting a subcontractor.
These are almost always the same items from one market to another. What changes is their validity date.
Public or private: what changes
In public markets, these items follow the Public Procurement Code and official forms. In private markets, a buyer who is not subject to this code sets their own requirements freely: they often request a Kbis, insurance certificates, references, and a presentation questionnaire, but without an imposed form.
No longer recalling them with every response
The easiest application errors to avoid are not fundamental errors: an expired certificate, last year’s sales figures, an outdated form. Three habits avoid them:
- Having a single base of your administrative documents, with their expiration date.
- Update revenue, staff and references at the end of each financial year.
- Keep a DUME and an updated DC1/DC2 game, ready to be adapted.
With Optima Proposal Manager
Your business information is retrieved upon registration from your SIRET number, and your documents are stored once in your knowledge base. At the end of the response, the software exports the memory, the encryption, and the DC1 / DC2. The monitoring of the expiration dates of your certificates, on the other hand, remains your responsibility.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between the DC1 and the DC2?
The DC1 is the application letter: it identifies the candidate or the group. The DC2 is the candidate's statement: it presents his economic, financial and technical capabilities.
Will the DUME replace the DC1 and the DC2?
He can replace them: the public purchaser must accept a tender submitted in the form of a DUME (Article R2143-4 of the Public Procurement Code).
Where can I download the DC1 and DC2 forms?
On the website of the Ministry of the Economy (economie.gouv.fr, section of the Directorate of Legal Affairs).
Is a DC2 required per company in the case of a group?
Yes: each member of the group has their own abilities.
Do you need a DC1 and a DC2 for a private market?
No, unless the buyer requests it. A private buyer not subject to the Public Procurement Code sets the documents he requires freely.
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