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Until 25 June 2021, procurers can apply for a call for proposals of the eafip (European Assistance for Innovation Procurement Initiative). The initiative supports procurers in developing and implementing innovative processes and in initiating European procurement projects. A three-part toolkit is also available on its website, which provides further information.

New European procurement projects have recently been launched. Over the next few months, the consortia will work together with stakeholders from science and industry to identify the latest state of the art and design new innovative solutions. In the subsequent procurement phase these findings are included in the calls for tender.

Health

• The PCP project ROSIA aims to launch flexible and scalable value-based care models. These are intended to open up new opportunities for patients to rehabilitate after serious illnesses. They should particularly benefit the population in sparsely populated areas.
• The PCP project INCAREHEART aims to commission the development of digitally-enabled solutions for patients with chronic heart failure (CHF). A modular solution for diagnosis, acute and long-term care is envisaged. It should be used by care providers, family carers and patients.

Secruity

• The PCP project BroadGNSS focuses on solutions for monitoring critical mobile broadband communication infrastructures and assets. The activities are related to EGNOS and Galileo. Interested stakeholders can already register on the project website.

Energy

• The PCP project EUROPEWAVE aims to accelerate the transition to a low-carbon economy. Therefore, it aims to develop solutions for generating energy from ocean waves in the Atlantic Ocean.
• The PCP project procuRE is responsible for more than 21,000 public buildings. Solutions are to be developed that enable customised, renewable building renovation. State-of-the-art components for the generation, storage and management of renewable energy are to be used. Online information events will take place on 14 April in English, on 22 April in Slovenian, on 28 April in Spanish/English, on 29 April in German, on 5 May in Portugese and on 6 May in Turkish. Additionally two international OMC events are offered. The first one on 25 June attached to the World Sustainable Energy Days (WSED). The second one attached to the Global Procurement Conference on 09 July.

ProcurComp^EU, the EU's new competency framework for the professionalisation of public procurement reinforces the strategic role of public procurement for modernizing public services with innovations, for digital transformation and sustainable growth. By defining 30 key competences, including for innovation procurement, it provides a common reference for professionalisation across the EU. It encourages public buyers to develop skills on pre-commercial procurement and public procurement of innovative solutions and to position ICT as strategic sector for economic growth.

The European Commission's Directorate-General GROW provided information on the Innovation Partnership method in a seminar series. The aim of the European Commission is to promote the demand for innovative goods, services and work in Europe. In this context, innovative procurement is seen as a key to bring innovations to the market.

• 13 October 2020: Think Innovative! Unlock the potential of the Innovation Partnership to boost the economic recovery
• 1 December 2020: Laying down the foundations of an innovation partnership
• 1 February 2021: From the negotiation to the execution of the Innovation Partnership (recording available soon)
• 10 March 2021: How to Attract Agile & SMART SMEs? Public Buyers & Innovative SMEs share their views  (recording available soon)

Online seminar Workshop presenting results of the European wide benchmarking of innovation procurement investments and policy frameworks on 12 October 2020: The European Commission informed how much the public sector in different EU countries invests in the implementation of innovative solutions and in which sectors (e.g. health, transport, energy, security, ICT). In addition, existing National Action Plans and other measures to promote innovative procurement were presented.

European Week of Regions and Cities from 5 to 22 October 2020: The lecture programme covered the topics Empowering Citizens, Cohesion & Cooperation and Green Europe. These presentations focused on public procurement.

The EU provides funding for the development of products that are not yet available on the market. The instruments Pre-Commercial Procurement (PCP) and Public Procurement of Innovative Solutions (PPI) are used. To give examples on how the projects can be structured and which products could be developed, the EU Contact Point for Public Procurement of Innovative Solutions presents the following projects in more detail: 

• THALEA
• STARS
• NIGHTINGALE
• PAPIRUS

The European Commission has also updated its brochure Innovation Procurement - The power of the public purse. This presents EU-funded procurement projects that addressing ICT-based solutions. They cover areas such as health, transport, climate change, energy, security, education and public administration.

The IÖB service point regularly publishes challenges to bring together public institutions and companies with innovative offers.  The current challenges can be found here.

The European Commission has released new guidance for public buyers to help public authorities use the flexibility provided by the EU’s public procurement framework to ensure rapid and efficient purchases of all necessary equipment. The possibilities range from considerably shortening the public procurement process to emergency procurement that is not subject to EU procedural requirements and does not require the prior publication of tender notices. The guidance also recommends that public buyers consider alternative innovative solutions and ways of engaging with the market.

Results EU funded PCPs (May 2019)

Commission notice: Guidance on Innovation Procurement (May 2018)

Call for tender

Open Market Consultations

Projects offering information