BUILD project releases Policy Recommendations to strengthen Innovation Procurement in Europe

Key Best Practices for a boosting the Adoption of Innovation Procurement

As European cities and regions confront evolving societal, environmental, and economic challenges, innovation procurement has become an essential tool for modernising public services and stimulating sustainable growth. Recognising this, the BUILD project has released a comprehensive Policy Recommendations booklet, aimed at guiding policymakers, competence centers, and public buyers in creating more effective procurement frameworks that foster innovation uptake.

A vital resource for policymakers and the PPI Community

The Policy Recommendations booklet is designed to provide policymakers with a clear, actionable roadmap for embedding innovation procurement within national and regional strategies. It offers a comprehensive approach to modernising public services, aligning with EU priorities such as the green and digital transitions.

The booklet was developed thanks to an extensive collaboration with the BUILD partners and their experience in public procurement, the Innovation Procurement Task Force (IPTF), the Urban Agenda Partnership for Responsible Procurement, other PPI related initiatives and EU stakeholders.

Key policy recommendations

Guiding principles: Align innovation procurement with sustainability, economic growth, and efficiency goals, ensuring a need-driven, bottom-up approach.

Market consultation promotion: Encourage early engagement with suppliers to align procurement with market capabilities, fostering better solutions.

Pre-commercial procurement (PCP): Support pilot projects and risk-sharing frameworks for co-developing innovative technologies.

Innovation partnerships: Build long-term collaborations between public and private sectors to address complex challenges.

Target risk aversion and improve capacity building: Improve training access, creating a supportive regulatory environment with incentives to innovate. Invest in specialized training, national competence centres. Enforce international networks of synergies.

Capacity building: Invest in specialized training, national competence centres. Enforce international networks of synergies.

Legislation and regulation: Elevate innovation procurement on the political agenda. Prioritize with adequate staffing and resources, and a strategic policy framework. Harmonize national laws with EU public procurement directives and simplify compliance for procurement officials.

By adopting these recommendations, policymakers will be better positioned to promote a culture of innovation within public institutions, delivering long-term benefits to citizens and businesses alike.

Call for ambitious investment targets

The BUILD project underscores the importance of ambitious policy targets to maximize the impact of innovation procurement. By committing to invest 20% of public procurement or 3.6% of GDP into innovation, Europe can accelerate its public sector modernisation, enhance its competitiveness, and ensure sustainable economic growth.

Access the full Booklet

To access the full list of Policy Recommendations and further resources, visit this page.

Key Best Practices for a boosting the Adoption of Innovation Procurement

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