upphandlad

Upphandlad is a Swedish adjective and past participle form derived from the verb upphandla, meaning to procure, buy, or acquire goods, services, or works through a formal procurement process. An item, contract, or supplier described as upphandlad has undergone such a process and has been selected or contracted through competitive bidding, negotiation, or framework agreements. The term is commonly used in business and public administration to distinguish purchases that were made through formal procurement from other purchases made informally.

Etymology and form: Upphandla derives from upp- and handla; the passive past participle is upphandlad. It agrees with the noun it modifies: ett upphandlat kontrakt, den upphandlade leverantören.

Usage in contexts: In public procurement in Sweden, the term accompanies references to upphandling, anbud, och ramavtal. The adjective emphasizes the result of the process rather than the process itself. It can be used for both contracts and supplies. The term should be used with care to avoid ambiguity between procurements that ended in a contract and those that did not.