Periodic Reporting for period 1 - PROCEDIN (Procurement Capability - Embedding and Driving Innovation)
Berichtszeitraum: 2022-10-01 bis 2024-09-30
Procuring innovation presents multiple challenges to buyers in all sectors - private and public alike. Adoption of innovation heavily reliant on infrastructure (e.g. green mobility) or on extensive inter-organizational and cross-sectoral collaboration (e.g. circular economy) presents common problems to buyers. And suppliers of innovative products and services face significant hurdles in finding and winning business with buyers. Furthermore, early sales do not necessarily lead to longer-term, profitable scale up. At its best, strategic public procurement plays a critical role in building and sustaining innovation ecosystems. The necessary reforms in public procurement are well underway, though take-up of certain procurement of innovation tools remains limited.
Legal reforms, European, national and regional policies, growing expertise, guidance, tools and case studies, and networks of early adopters are all key foundations for the adoption of (public) procurement of innovation (POI) practices, bringing together business and public sectors. If it is to drive deep, systemic change, the rate, scale and scope of POI adoption must increase. The goal of the PROCEDIN project has been to accelerate POI in the context of European cities’ innovation for sustainability and resilience agendas, focusing especially on two critical areas of innovation – circular economy and green mobility. The consortium has leveraged existing resources and its members’ extensive, pan-European professional networks, and initiate new provisions, to enhance and mobilize POI motivation, knowledge and skills. By mapping the complex landscape of growing expertise, experience and learning infrastructure, and relating resources to the varied needs of different stakeholder archetypes (defined by organization type, the extent of POI experience, etc.), gaps in provision were identified and addressed. Particular attention was paid to promoting enduring access and increased uptake of POI guidance and learning resources for buyers and vendors, and to building leadership capacity for driving and embedding innovation through strategic procurement.
Legal reforms, European, national and regional policies, growing expertise, guidance, tools and case studies, and networks of early adopters are all key foundations for the adoption of (public) procurement of innovation (POI) practices, bringing together business and public sectors. If it is to drive deep, systemic change, the rate, scale and scope of POI adoption must increase. The goal of the PROCEDIN project has been to accelerate POI in the context of European cities’ innovation for sustainability and resilience agendas, focusing especially on two critical areas of innovation – circular economy and green mobility. The consortium has leveraged existing resources and its members’ extensive, pan-European professional networks, and initiate new provisions, to enhance and mobilize POI motivation, knowledge and skills. By mapping the complex landscape of growing expertise, experience and learning infrastructure, and relating resources to the varied needs of different stakeholder archetypes (defined by organization type, the extent of POI experience, etc.), gaps in provision were identified and addressed. Particular attention was paid to promoting enduring access and increased uptake of POI guidance and learning resources for buyers and vendors, and to building leadership capacity for driving and embedding innovation through strategic procurement.
1. Resource Mapping (WP1): The project created a comprehensive, user-friendly procurement of innovation (POI) resource base, making resources easily accessible for public buyers and small to medium enterprises (SMEs). This database includes various trainings and best practices to support POI, including 145 resources for procurers and 23 for suppliers. Up to this time, more than 1000 stakeholders have accessed the resources bank
2. Stakeholder Engagement (WP2): PROCEDIN successfully engaged a wide range of stakeholders, more than 1200, clustering them into relevant groups and creating a network to support POI across Europe. An interactive stakeholder map was developed, which is continuously updated and accessible to all participants. At the present time it includes 108 stakeholders contacts. In addition, several training sessions were organized, including 4 webinars for SMEs about B2G (business to government) engagement, PROCEDIN also delivered a white paper providing an overview of the state of the art on POI across Europe, and suggesting solutions for the challenges identified.
3. Legal Frameworks (WP3): Legal materials and training sessions on POI were developed to provide accessible guidance on various legal frameworks, helping public authorities navigate innovative public procurement practices effectively. Overall, 4 legal training sessions were held in presence in the Netherlands and in Bulgaria, while two took place online to ensure wider accessibility, attracting 157 participants in total.
4. Capacity Building (WP4): Through targeted training, educational resources, and events, PROCEDIN has made POI knowledge more accessible for buyers, suppliers, and educators, promoting different types of resources via multiple channels for widespread accessibility. Next to all the above activities, this included, for example, a training session for educators on integrating Strategic Public Procurement of Innovation in Course Materials.
2. Stakeholder Engagement (WP2): PROCEDIN successfully engaged a wide range of stakeholders, more than 1200, clustering them into relevant groups and creating a network to support POI across Europe. An interactive stakeholder map was developed, which is continuously updated and accessible to all participants. At the present time it includes 108 stakeholders contacts. In addition, several training sessions were organized, including 4 webinars for SMEs about B2G (business to government) engagement, PROCEDIN also delivered a white paper providing an overview of the state of the art on POI across Europe, and suggesting solutions for the challenges identified.
3. Legal Frameworks (WP3): Legal materials and training sessions on POI were developed to provide accessible guidance on various legal frameworks, helping public authorities navigate innovative public procurement practices effectively. Overall, 4 legal training sessions were held in presence in the Netherlands and in Bulgaria, while two took place online to ensure wider accessibility, attracting 157 participants in total.
4. Capacity Building (WP4): Through targeted training, educational resources, and events, PROCEDIN has made POI knowledge more accessible for buyers, suppliers, and educators, promoting different types of resources via multiple channels for widespread accessibility. Next to all the above activities, this included, for example, a training session for educators on integrating Strategic Public Procurement of Innovation in Course Materials.
The results of the PROCEDIN project lead to impact across multiple levels. Based on needs analysis (D2.1) for individuals in procurement roles and in suppliers, the various learning resources encourage procurement of innovation, facilitate skills and knowledge development (D1.1 , D1.2 D2.1 D3.1 D3.2 D3.3) and the stakeholder map facilitates network building (D2.1). A set of resources from WP4 promote new and deeper connections between educators, students (potential recruits) and employers to attract talented graduates to procurement of innovation roles (D4.1 D4.2 D4.3).
To support the uptake of resources, guidance for their use has been developed targeted at the different stakeholder groups.
Enhancing impact depends of maintaining access to and promoting PROCEDIN resources. Raising the profile of, and ‘demystifying’ procurement of innovation will continue under the auspices of the Innovation Procurement Task Force, cofounded by PROCEDIN. All the PROCEDIN partners remain active in the field, and PROCEDIN’s impact will be enhanced through their ongoing projects and initiatives, making the most of ‘spillover effects’.
To support the uptake of resources, guidance for their use has been developed targeted at the different stakeholder groups.
Enhancing impact depends of maintaining access to and promoting PROCEDIN resources. Raising the profile of, and ‘demystifying’ procurement of innovation will continue under the auspices of the Innovation Procurement Task Force, cofounded by PROCEDIN. All the PROCEDIN partners remain active in the field, and PROCEDIN’s impact will be enhanced through their ongoing projects and initiatives, making the most of ‘spillover effects’.