Public tender in São Vicente for the Graça Christmas Market

The São Vicente Parish Council has opened a public selection procedure for the temporary granting of the use of public space and the operation of the Christmas Market at Largo da Graça, in Lisbon. The decision was made during the 30th meeting of the executive, held on October 29, 2026, and published in the Diário da República on November 6, 2026, via Notice no. 27842-A/2026/2. The notice is signed by the council president, André Gorba Biveti, dated November 3, 2026.

The procedure is open under Article 56 of Annex I to Law no. 75/2013, of September 12, and in compliance with point 10 of Deliberation no. 31/2026. In addition to the notice, the local authority approved the Procedure Program, the Specifications/Conditions for Granting and Operation, the Event Operating Regulations, the Draft Contract, and the base map of the space.

The applicable regime is that of Decree-Law no. 280/2007, of August 7, and the Legal Regime for Access and Exercise of Trade, Services, and Catering Activities (RJACSR), approved by Decree-Law no. 10/2015, of January 16. The notice emphasizes that the procedure observes the principles of transparency, equality, and competition, under paragraph 2 of Article 201 of the Administrative Procedure Code, and that it is not subject to Part II of the Public Contracts Code.

Calendar and occupied area

The Christmas Market operates from November 27 to December 22, 2026. Assembly may begin from November 24, and disassembly must be completed by the end of the day on December 23, 2026, a deadline that coincides with the occupation fee collection period.

The maximum area for occupation and operation is 150 m², with the following configuration:

• up to 10 stalls, stands, or modules, with a maximum individual size of 3 m × 3 m;
• 60 m² reserved for attractions, equipment, decorative structures, and Christmas animation activities;
• the existing bandstand, which constitutes a non-commercial area.

The object is the temporary and paid granting of the right of private use of the space delimited in the base map, for the organization and operation of the market by the promoter, at their own account and risk.

Consideration of 1,500 euros and fee of 8,235 euros

The minimum financial consideration is set at €1,500.00 and must be presented in an opaque and sealed envelope, independently of the technical proposal. In addition to this amount, an occupation fee is due regardless of the consideration, between November 24 and December 23, 2026, inclusive, with an estimated value of €8,235.00 subject to final settlement. Combined, the two charges represent a floor of over 9,700 euros for the operator who wins the procedure.

Criteria and application deadline

The selection is made based on a technical evaluation, with a weighting of 70%, and a financial evaluation, with a weighting of 30%, according to the criteria, sub-criteria, and formula of the Procedure Program. Proposals with a technical score lower than 35 points are excluded.

Applications are delivered in a sealed envelope to the Reception of the Headquarters of the Junta de Freguesia de São Vicente, at Rua Josefa de Óbidos, n.º 5, 1170-196 Lisbon, Monday to Friday, from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM. The deadline is 5 working days starting from the day following the publication of the notice, which, with publication on November 6, sets the deadline on November 13, 2026; applications received after the deadline will not be accepted.

The sealed outer envelope contains two envelopes:

• Envelope A — Technical Proposal;
• Envelope B — Financial Proposal, opaque, sealed, and autonomous.

The procedure documents can be consulted on the junta’s website, at https://www.saovicente.pt/, and at the headquarters, on working days from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Requests for clarification must be sent to geral.contratacao@jf-saovicente.pt by the 3rd working day prior to the deadline, with responses disclosed to all interested parties by the 2nd working day prior to said deadline.

Impact for operators and local trade

The tender opens a short window — about five weeks of activity, with only five working days to apply — and concentrates the full operation of the market, including Christmas festivities, into a single lot. For city merchants and event promoters, the known minimum cost is a consideration fee of 1,500 euros plus an estimated occupancy fee of 8,235 euros, for a space of 150 m² with up to ten modules, which requires solid commercial programming for the Christmas period.

Source: Diário da República, 2nd series, no. 216, of November 6, 2026, Supplement, Part H — Local Authorities, pág. 1-2 (official reference: Notice no. 27842-A/2026/2).