Dr. Rene Voigtländer

As a partner at Bird & Bird's Munich office and senior expert in the Government Contracts, Strategic Procurement & Tender Design practice group, I have been advising private companies, international corporations, consortia, and public sector clients on the strategic planning, legal structuring, and operational implementation of complex procurement projects for over 20 years – particularly in the field of IT and cloud procurement, both in conventional and sovereign contexts.

Our focus lies in providing comprehensive legal and strategic guidance throughout all phases of the procurement process – from needs assessment and the development of tailored procurement and negotiation strategies to the legally compliant execution of market dialogues, tender procedures, and contract negotiations.

We place particular emphasis on the solution-oriented structuring of politically sensitive IT infrastructure projects and on ensuring constructive and legally sound communication with and on behalf of public authorities. Our aim is to align commercial interests with regulatory frameworks to enable successful project delivery.

Our advisory work spans a broad range of sectors, including infrastructure, critical services (KRITIS), public administration, energy supply, education and culture, internal and external security, and defence. We work closely with manufacturers, resellers, distributors, licensing solution providers, subcontractors, project companies, fulfilment partners, and consortia – both nationally and internationally – to strengthen their market positioning in the public sector, shape access to public tenders, and establish legally robust framework agreements, pricing models, and distribution structures such as channel partner management and direct engagement models.

Alongside my consulting work, I regularly lead workshops, conferences, and seminars – including within the Public Sector & Government Contracts Academy of major international companies – and lecture at the University of St. Gallen (HSG).

This intersection of practice, research, and market engagement enables us to integrate current developments and best practices into our project work – delivering sustainable added value to our clients in positioning and implementing their strategies and long-term goals in the public sector.

• Energy company: Comprehensive advice on energy regulation and corporate and procurement law in connection with the fusion of two distribution network operators, particularly with regard to existing or newly arising obligations to invite tenders.
• Leading software manufacturer: Contract and procurement law advice on several complex IT contract awards with contracts in the three-digit million euro range.
• Global manufacturer of machine tools: Advising on the creation of a central, global tendering and procurement platform and contract law advice in this regard.
• Federal state capital (Landeshauptstadt) in Southern Germany: Advice and management of a tendering procedure involving the implementation of a complex multi-annual framework agreement with a call-off volume in the region of a two-digit million euro sum for the procurement of hardware and software and IT services for municipal schools and further municipal facilities.
• Leading automotive supplier: Advising and representing in an investigation procedure in the field of waste law on the grounds of extensive unlawful waste disposal on premises adjacent to the client's factory site. This has involved performing a costly investigation into the amount and nature of the waste accrued, analysing the hazardous potential of the waste deposits in question, in particular with regard to groundwater, discussing the consequences under waste and regulatory law with the competent authorities, and planning disposal measures, whilst, in particular, taking into consideration regulations under waste, and environmental and biodiversity protection and immission control laws. The investigation procedure was concluded without any consequences for the client.
• Large telecommunications supplier: Advising and representing in foreign trade law authorisation procedures, in particular regarding the granting of export authorisations, analysis and optimisation of applications and provision of support in negotiations with the BAFA (Federal Office for Economic Affairs and Export Control).
• Globally active manufacturer of coating systems for the automobile industry: Provision of advice in connection with a potentially forthcoming administrative fine proceeding under customs law due to a breach of various provisions of the German fiscal code and the foreign trade and payment ordinance in connection with the issuing of false suppliers' declarations.
• EWV Energie- und Wasser-Versorgung GmbH: Comprehensive energy regulation, corporate and procurement law advice in the context of the merger of two distribution network operators.
• Gas supply company: Drafting various agreements relating to a gas compressor station under consideration of specific issues associated with contract and energy law (general contractor agreement, contract for manufacture, purchase contracts).