Kristers Zālītis at the Public Procurement 2026 conference

Public procurement contracts are often concluded for years, but what happens if the supplier changes along the way? 

At the conference Publiskie iepirkumi 2026, WALLESS Senior Associate Kristers Zālītis addressed one of the more complex questions in procurement law: supplier replacement after the contract has already been concluded. 

The discussion focused on when such changes may be legally possible, how the Public Procurement Law limits contract amendments, and what guidance can be drawn from EU case law, including the C-461/20 Advania judgment. 

Replacing a supplier in public procurement after the contract has been concluded is possible only in specific situations defined by law. Any such change must respect the core procurement principles: transparency, equal treatment and fair competition.