The amount spent in OECD countries on public procurement represent 12% of GDP. Because of the sheer volume of spending it represents, well-governed public procurement must play a major role in promoting public sector efficiency. Good public procurement systems also contribute to achieving policy goals such as environmental protection, innovation, job creation and the development of small and medium enterprises.
That’s why the OECD provides recommendations on public procurement for innovation based on 12 principles: transparency, integrity, access, balance, participation, efficiency, E-procurement, capacity, evaluation, risk management, accountability and integration.
For more information http://www.oecd.org/governance/procurement/toolbox/principlestools/
The OECD supports countries in reforming their procurement systems by:
1/ Assessing the situation, the challenges and the needs.
2/ Recommending policy actions & reforms.
3/ Developing tools to support the recommendations.
One of the main actions launched by the European Commission is the project “procure 2 innovate”, which aims at improving institutional support for public procurers of information and communication technologies (ICT) and other product groups implementing innovation procurement by establishing or expanding competence centres for innovation procurement in ten EU Member States. The goals of the project include:
- Build a network of competence centres to facilitate knowledge sharing, best practice exchange on innovation procurement.
- Support 5 existing competence centres.
- Create 5 new competence centres.
- Facilitate cross-border cooperation.
- Communicate the tools, approaches and results.
To date, competence centres have largely worked autonomously and with little cross-border cooperation. This has led to a situation where competence centres, although facing similar challenges, have had to find solutions through trial and error with little guidance. Through peer-to-peer learning and mentoring the network of competence centres will be able to effectively exchange information and experience, gather knowledge and form cross-border bonds. The project will harness the potential that lies in the European cooperation of the competence centres. It will create a network that increases the impact of innovation procurement and facilitates cross-border cooperation in procurement. The 5 existing competence centres are:
- KOINNO (Competence Centre for Innovation Procurement), Germany : https://www.koinno-bmwi.de/
- IÖB Servicestelle (PPPI Service Point), Austria : http://www.ioeb.at/
- PIANOo (Expertise Centre for Public Procurement), Netherlands : https://www.pianoo.nl/
- Spanish competence centre for innovative procurement, (association of 3 institutes) Spain: https://www.cdti.es/ ; http://www.inta.es/ ; http://www.eng.isciii.es/
- Upphandlingsmyndigheten, Sweden : http://www.upphandlingsmyndigheten.se/
To expand the impact of innovation procurement across Europe the project will also set up five new competence centres which can learn from the existing centres:
- PTI (Procurement Transformation Institute), Ireland : procureti.com
- A Greek competence centre, in partnership with the Ministry of Economy and Development – General Secretariat of Commerce and Consumer Protection (GSCCP)
- A Portuguese competence centre , in partnership with the National Innovation Agency (ANI) and the ESPAP https://www.espap.pt
- An Estonian competence centre in partnership with Enterprise Estonia https://www.eas.ee/
- An Italian competence centre in partnership with the Central Purchasing Agency (CONSIP) http://www.consip.it/
The competence centres will exchange experiences to identify the optimal mix of services and support measures needed in each Member State to effectively support public procurers. Such services could be:
Training and capacity building
• Open training sessions • In-house training • Basic legal education
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Consultation and advice
• Guidance publications • In-house consulting • Working groups
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Networking and events
• Regional networking events • Strategic dialogues • Conferences
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Finding funding
• Information about national funding and subsidies • Information events for European funding schemes
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Dissemination and marketing
• Innovation awards • Best practice examples • Newsletters
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Online information source
• News platform • E-learning tools • Online exchange forum
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Methodologically, the project will rely on peer-to-peer learning and design thinking to ensure that competence centres can exchange (informal) knowledge and learn from one another and design services to effectively support public procurers.
Peer-to-peer learning has shown to enhance learning and exchange between non-hierarchical actors. This method allows for effective information exchange in an environment where circumstances change frequently and no institutionalised structures for exchanges exist (yet).
CHALLENGES OF THE PROJECT
1/ Harmonising the use of innovation procurement across Member States
- Close exchange and peer learning between existing and new competence centres for innovation procurement.
- Creation of a network of competence centres open to all Member States and their continuation after the end of the project.
- Development of a self-assessment tool for benchmarking between competence centres.
2/ Too few public procurers know how to use innovation procurement
- Frequent exchange between competence centres with public procurers about best approaches to innovation.
- Development of new tools and services for procurers using value proposition canvas and design thinking.
- Evaluation and adjustment of existing services offered by the competence centres.
3/ No common picture of the state of play of innovation procurement in Europe
- Updates from all competence centres will be provided on one central platform in English – easy access for all target groups (public procurer, supplier, research, policy makers) and other stakeholders from all EU countries and the European Commission.
- Network of competence centres for innovation procurement will be able to provide united points of view on policy decisions and initiatives.
- Key documents from all participating competence centres will be translated into English.
4/ Lack of cross-border joint procurement activities
- New services to be developed by competence centres will address cross-border joint procurement and financing, funding options for public procurer where appropriate.
On the 22nd of February, the founders of PTI are delighted to meet the 9 other EU member states to officially launch the P2I consortium in Brussels. Mike and Ingrid are excited to bring back the learnings and best practices from our EU counterparts for the benefit of buyers and suppliers in Ireland.
For more information about the budget and the partners involved, please click on the link below : https://cordis.europa.eu/project/rcn/213117_en.html
Contact us with all your Irish Innovation Procurement queries and opportunities.