Public procurement accounts for some 19% of GDP in the European Union and offers an enormous potential market for innovative products and services. Several EU countries have participated successfully in a pioneering set of programmes with European public sector partners to spread best practice in new approaches for the procurement of R&D, innovative products and services.
This high level event will offer an opportunity to hear first hand from the European Commission and Member States how they are supporting the implementation of Public Procurement of Innovative Solutions (PPI) and Pre-Commercial Procurement (PCP). In other words, how public purchasers (and private procurers) are enabled to buy better and/or cheaper products and services while at the same time boosting innovation.
From a European perspective, European Commission services will present 2013 CIP and FP7 calls for proposals as well as future financial instruments (Horizon 2020, CEF, Structural funds 2014-2020) to support the demand for innovation and innovative procurement.
The key note speech will highlight new innovation support policies and discuss how innovation procurement can be linked to industrial/SME policies.
A special focus will be given on recent developments in the support of innovative procurement in Germany. The new organisation “Kompetenzzentrum für innovationsorientierte Beschaffung” will be introduced by the Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology and the current state of innovative procurement will be presented by the Region of North Rhine-Westphalia. Similar structures from other European countries will also be described.
Additionally, information will be provided by participants in innovative procurement programmes about the process involved, their personal experience, lessons learned and the outcomes achieved.
You will meet representatives from Member States, public policy officials, procurement experts and other innovative procurement policy stakeholders as well as experts from industry and SMEs. The event will ensure broad debate and lively discussion in formal sessions and also offer the opportunity for networking.
