Central purchasing body
A central purchasing body (CPB) is a contracting authority established specifically to run joint procurement: it competes framework agreements and dynamic purchasing systems for its owners or its statutory customers. Finland's best-known CPB is the state's Hansel Oy.
Definition
Central purchasing bodies are governed by Section 20 of the Finnish Procurement Act (1397/2016), with the definition in Section 4. A CPB provides centralised purchasing activities — framework agreements, dynamic purchasing systems, and procurement contracts — to contracting authorities that own it directly or indirectly, or whose right to use it is laid down by law. The activity must be permanent and the body expressly established for the task. An authority may buy through a CPB's contract without running its own competition, because the CPB is responsible for having competed its contracts in accordance with the Act.
Practical Example
A municipality needs office supplies and is a Sarastia customer. Sarastia has competed an office-supplies framework the municipality has joined, so the municipality orders directly from the framework supplier without its own competition. For the supplier, the Sarastia contract opened a market of dozens of municipalities at once.
Common Mistake
CPBs are often confused with in-house entities. An in-house entity requires actual control by the authority and limits on external sales, whereas ownership or statutory customership suffices for a CPB. The Market Court examined the distinction in case MAO 867/17, where a purchase of healthcare supplies was held lawful as a purchase from a CPB even though the in-house ground would not have been met.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a central purchasing body?
A contracting authority established specifically to compete contracts for other authorities — frameworks and dynamic purchasing systems. Finland's best known are Hansel, Sarastia, and Sansia, alongside regional procurement units.
Can any authority use any CPB?
No. The authority must own the CPB directly or indirectly, or its customership must be laid down by law. Finnish central government agencies must use Hansel and may not use other CPBs.
How does a supplier get onto CPB contracts?
By winning the CPB's competitions, published in Hilma. Frameworks can only be joined through their original competition; dynamic purchasing systems accept applications throughout their lifetime.
Related Guides
Joint Procurement in Finland: Hansel, CPBs & Consortia
Hansel, central purchasing bodies, and consortia from the bidder's perspective: getting onto frameworks and DPS, and pricing large volumes right.
Read guideFinnish Procurement Act Reform 2026: What Changes for Bidders
What the new Finnish Procurement Act of 18 June 2026 means for companies and bidders: dividing contracts into lots, the single-bid rule, in-house entities and exclusion grounds, with section references and transitional periods.
Read guideRelated Terms
In-house entity
An in-house entity (sidosyksikkö) is a unit controlled by a contracting authority that it can buy from without competition. How the in-house rules tighten in the 2026 reform.
Framework Agreement
Understand framework agreements in Finnish public procurement. How multi-year agreements with one or more suppliers work under hankintalaki 1397/2016.
Dynamic Purchasing System
Learn about the dynamic purchasing system (DPS) in Finnish public procurement. An open system where new suppliers can join throughout its duration.
Hansel
Learn about Hansel Ltd, Finland's central purchasing body for government procurement. How joint procurement and framework agreements work.
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