Real-World Examples of Successful Strategies in Innovation Procurement
The recent SIPE Conference, held on 18th June in Brussels, brought together key stakeholders from various sectors to discuss the importance of innovation procurement and to share successful real-world examples. This article highlights a few cases which have made significant progress in embedding innovation procurement as a standard practice within their public sectors. Lieve Bos from the European Commission shared insights on how Poland and Czech Repuplic have made innovation procurement a standard practice, integrating it into their public procurement policies and thereby driving significant advancements in public services. The article also dives into the successful PPI Competence Centres established in these countries, but also in the BUILD Project’s consortium area.
Czech Republic: from moderate innovator to innovation leader
The Czech Republic’s innovation strategy includes specific targets for public spending dedicated to research and development (R&D) and innovation. According to the national strategy, the Czech Republic aims to allocate 3.0% of its GDP to R&D by 2030. This funding will be shared between public and private sources, with 1.0% coming from public resources and 2.0% from company resources by 2030. This target represents a gradual increase from 2.0% by 2020 and 2.5% by 2025, showing a commitment to annually increasing the budget for innovation procurement
The final aim of the Czech Republic’s innovation strategy is to transform the country into one of Europe’s leading innovation-driven economies by 2030. The strategy seeks to shift the Czech Republic from being a “Moderate Innovator” to becoming an “Innovation Leader.”
Poland has made remarkable progress in integrating innovation procurement into its public purchasing framework through its “State Purchasing Policy 2022-2025.” This policy advises all Polish public buyers to allocate 3% of their budget to research and development (R&D) procurement and 20% to the procurement of innovative solutions. These targets are part of a broader strategy aimed at using public procurement as a catalyst for innovation within the national economy.
The adoption of specific targets for R&D and innovative solutions sets a clear level of ambition for all public buyers in Poland. While national guidelines are provided, individual public procurers are free to establish their own internal objectives, incentive mechanisms, and key performance indicators (KPIs). This flexibility allows for a tailored approach that aligns with local and sector-specific needs, ensuring that innovation procurement remains a dynamic and adaptable tool.
To ensure the success of the policy, a monitoring framework has been introduced by the Ministry of Economy in cooperation with the Public Procurement Office and other government bodies.
In addition to monitoring, the policy places a strong emphasis on capacity building. The Public Procurement Office regularly provides training sessions and has developed guidelines on innovation procurement and pre-commercial procurement.
One of the key support mechanisms within Poland’s innovation procurement framework is the Center for Technology Assessment (COT). Here, public buyers can consult with the COT when preparing innovation procurements, to evaluate the suitability of proposed innovative technologies.
Poland: a national strategy for Innovation Procurement
Supporting Innovation Procurement through competence centres
In countries like the Netherlands, Finland, and Estonia, partner countries fo the BUILD Project, the adoption of innovation procurement has been strongly supported by dedicated competence centers.
For example, in the Netherlands, PIANOo, the Public Procurement Expertise Centre, plays a crucial role in professionalizing procurement and fostering innovative practices across government departments.
Similarly, Finland’s KEINO Competence Centre focuses on promoting sustainable and innovative procurement, providing advisory services, and strengthening public procurement capabilities.
Estonia’s Innovation Procurement Competence Centre, part of Enterprise Estonia, facilitates collaboration between contracting authorities and suppliers, helping bring innovative ideas to life through targeted procurement strategies. These centers provide vital support to public procurers, ensuring innovation procurement becomes an integral part of national policies.
Together, these countries are proving that innovation procurement can be more than just a buzzword — it can be a core component of public policy that yields tangible benefits!
