Table of Contents
- Why the Duty Continues After Registration
- Which Changes Need a Change Registration
- The Two Items That Make a Bid Invalid
- When You Must Register Again
- Address, Licences, Factories and Agents
- Procedure and Deregistration
- FAQ
A change registration (변경등록) is how a company already registered as a competitive bidder on KONEPS, Korea's national e-procurement system known as Narajangteo, updates its record after its representative, trade name or address changes. Korea public procurement bidder registration is not a one-off: the record must keep matching reality. Above all, a bid submitted without registering a change of trade name or representative is invalid.
This article covers only what happens after registration. It is based on the current Enforcement Decree and Enforcement Rule of the Act on Contracts to Which the State Is a Party (국가계약법) and the Public Procurement Service (조달청) notice on KONEPS bidder registration, as of 2026.
Why the Duty Continues After Registration
Under Decree Article 12(1), only those holding any permit or licence required by other laws, any needed security clearance and a business registration (Rule Article 14(1)) may enter a competitive tender. Registration lets a company prove this once instead of at every tender.
Rule Article 15(1) allows advance registration and adds that the same applies "when registered matters have changed". Details posted on KONEPS count as registered with every central agency (Article 15(5)), and Article 15(7)3 requires the system to state that changes must be registered before bidding.
The PPS notice recognises five kinds of registration: new, a self-check every 1 year, renewal, change and deregistration (Article 4(2)). A bidder must check its own data before bidding and bears any disadvantage from failing to do so (Article 9-2(1)), while contracting officers separately check the prospective winner in case a change was not registered (Article 8(1)).
Which Changes Need a Change Registration
Notice Article 16(1) requires a change registration with evidence immediately when the registered representative, trade name, address, factory, bidding agent, branch, business type or manufactured goods change; other details are simply entered in the system. The deadline is "immediately", not a number of days.
| Change | Action on KONEPS | Basis | Bidding without updating |
|---|---|---|---|
| Representative's name (all, if several) | Change registration | Notice Art. 16(1)(2) | Bid invalid (Rule Art. 44(1)6-3) |
| Trade or corporate name | Change registration (registered name) | Notice Art. 16, 13(8) | Bid invalid (Rule Art. 44(1)6-3) |
| Head office address | Change registration | Notice Art. 16(1) | Not an invalidity item; deregistration ground (Art. 19(1)2) |
| Business type or goods | Change registration | Notice Art. 16(1), 11(1) | Unlisted types are outside your scope |
| Factory added or moved | Proof of direct production (counts as renewal) | Notice Art. 23-3(2) | Deregistration ground (Art. 19(1)2) |
| Bidding agent or branch | Change registration | Notice Art. 13(5)(9) | - |
| Sole trader ↔ corporation | Deregister and register anew | Notice Art. 16(3) | Old registration unusable |
| Merger | Absorbed party deregisters; absorbing party updates | Notice Art. 16(4) | Absorbed company deregistered (Art. 19(1)7) |
| Rehabilitation opened | Add receiver as lead representative | Notice Art. 16(7) | - |
| Sanction data | Entered by the sanctioning agency | Notice Art. 16(6) | - |
Only the trade name and the representative's name void a bid in themselves; the other items are grounds for deregistration instead. But if any change means you no longer hold the qualification a tender requires, the bid can be void as one "made by a person without qualification" (Decree Article 39(4); Rule Article 44(1)1).
The Two Items That Make a Bid Invalid
Decree Article 39(4) voids bids by unqualified persons and bids on grounds set by ministerial rule, which Rule Article 44(1) lists.
Notice Article 16(2) repeats this. Two further items once in the same subparagraph have been deleted, so these two are all that remain. Where there are several representatives, the registration must state whether they act jointly or severally and name one lead representative (Notice Articles 2(1)8 and 13(4)). Adding or removing any one of them changes "the names of all representatives" and must be registered.
Does such a bid lead to debarment? Decree Article 76(2)1(b) treats "intentionally submitting an invalid bid" as a ground for restriction, but its proviso and Rule Article 75-2 exclude bids void under Article 44(1)6 and 6-3. A bid void only for an unregistered name change is expressly carved out.
That is not a blank cheque. Forging or misusing tender documents or submitting false documents is a separate ground (Decree Article 76(2)1(a)), and the Act allows restriction of up to 2 years (Article 27(1)). An untrue registration is also a deregistration ground (Notice Article 19(1)3).
When appointing a new representative, also check that a restriction on a company extends to its representative in charge (Decree Article 76(6)1) and that a bid through a representative still under restriction is invalid (Rule Article 44(1)1-2). Where 1 person represents several companies, they count as one bidder, so 2 or more bids from them in one tender are invalid (Rule Article 44(1)4).
When You Must Register Again
KONEPS keeps registrations under the head office business number, plus the corporate number for corporations (Notice Article 7). A change to that number cannot be a mere change registration.
- Sole trader to corporation, or the reverse — deregister and register anew, meeting licence and business registration requirements in the new name (Notice Articles 16(3) and 5(1)).
- Merger — the absorbed company deregisters, the absorbing one files a change (Articles 16(4) and 19(1)7).
- Rehabilitation — the receiver is added and registered as lead representative (Article 16(7)).
- Closure — the whole registration may be removed; re-registration follows the change rules (Articles 19(1)6 and 16(5)).
Licence transfer time on incorporation depends on the competent authority and the documents, so plan around pending tenders.
Address, Licences, Factories and Agents
Head office. A move needs a change registration (Notice Articles 13(3) and 16(1)). It matters most for region-restricted tenders: under Article 4(4) of the government contract execution standard (정부 입찰ㆍ계약 집행기준), eligibility looks to the head office, or for goods manufacturing the main place of business, in the province of the site or delivery point, and branches cannot enter. Moving province changes which regional tenders you can enter.
Business types and licences. You may bid only for goods, types or main fields listed on your certificate (Article 11(1)); works and service types use a 4-digit code and works main fields a 3-digit code (Article 25-2). Add a new licence before bidding in that field and check your data against each tender (Article 11(3)). If a licence was renewed under its own law but the registration was not, it can be supplemented after the bid deadline (Article 9(3)). Capacity ratings may be entered by the operator, but checking them is the bidder's job (Article 28(1)).
Factories. Adding or moving a factory needs proof of direct production and counts as renewal; if all factory data for an item go, the item may be deregistered (Article 23-3(2)(5)).
Agents and branches. Only current staff may be bidding agents, with proof such as social insurance enrolment within the last 3 months; restricted persons are barred and no one may act for 2 or more companies (Article 13(5)). A branch must appear in the corporate register or articles, its breach restricts the whole corporation, and only 1 of head office or branch may enter a tender (Article 13(6)(9)).
Procedure and Deregistration
New-registration rules apply: file online with an approved certificate and submit evidence to the regional procurement office or PPS headquarters (Articles 16(1) and 13(1)). Articles 22 and 25 list the documents and expressly cover changes; shared administrative data are checked by the official with your consent (Article 14(2)).
- Change the source documents first — corporate register, business registration, licence.
- File the change on KONEPS with evidence (Article 13(1)).
- It takes effect on the official's confirmation (Article 15(1)).
- Check the result and reprint the certificate (Articles 10(1) and 15(2)).
Article 18 sets a standard of 8 working hours, but delays for supplementation or system failure must be notified with an expected date, and filings after hours count from the next working day. With no reply within 20 days of a request to supplement, the application is returned (Article 14(4)). Actual timing depends on the authority and the documents, so do not start just before a bid deadline.
Not filing a change is a deregistration ground, and only the affected part may be removed (Article 19(1)2 and 19(2)), after notice and a chance to respond; with no response within 15 days removal may follow (Article 19(3)). Notices may also be posted on the system (Article 19(4)), so keep contacts accurate. A self-check is due every 1 year regardless (Article 4(2)), and the operator may check records at any time or require renewal (Articles 9(5) and 28(3)). Texts: PPS bidder registration notice and Enforcement Rule. Costs vary case by case and are explained precisely during the free consultation.
FAQ
Q. Our representative changed. What if we bid before registering it?
A. The bid is invalid under Rule Article 44(1)6-3(b) and Notice Article 16(2). Adding or removing one representative counts.
Q. Does such an invalid bid lead to debarment?
A. Not on that ground alone: Rule Article 75-2 excludes it from Decree Article 76(2)1(b). False documents are a separate ground under Article 76(2)1(a).
Q. Is a change registration enough when a sole trader incorporates?
A. No. Notice Article 16(3) requires deregistration and a new registration, as records are kept by business number (Article 7).
Q. Does moving our head office make our bids invalid?
A. The address is not an item in Rule Article 44(1)6-3, but it must be updated at once (Notice Article 16(1)) or it becomes a deregistration ground (Article 19(1)2). Recheck regional tender eligibility.
Q. Does a change take effect as soon as we file it?
A. It takes effect on confirmation (Notice Article 15(1)). Article 18 sets 8 working hours as the standard but allows delay for supplementation.
Planning a change of representative, name or address?
We review your register, business registration and licence timeline against pending tenders, then map the KONEPS change steps and evidence. Call 02-363-2251, weekdays 09:30–17:30 KST.
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