A public authority wishing to place a construction contract or to purchase goods or services has to comply with the provisions of the Public Procurement Act (2007:1091). The contracting authority is required to treat suppliers equally and without discrimination, and to carry out procurements in a transparent way. In all procurements, the principles of mutual recognition and proportionality must be observed.
If a contracting authority is in breach of these fundamental principles and a supplier is or risks being harmed as a result, the supplier can apply for the decision to be reviewed. In Sweden, such applications are first considered by an administrative court, the first tier of the system of general administrative courts.