innovative procurement

Innovative procurement is when the public sector purchases new or significantly improved products and services that do not yet exist on the market. This can range from new technological solutions to smarter ways of delivering healthcare services.

How does it work?

Instead of the contracting authority specifying exactly what they want in a detailed requirements specification, they describe the problem to be solved or the need to be met. This gives suppliers the opportunity to propose new and innovative solutions.

For example: Instead of a municipality requesting to buy 100 new waste bins, they might describe that they want a solution that makes waste management more efficient and environmentally friendly. Suppliers can then propose ideas such as smart sensors that alert when a bin is full, or entirely new systems for waste sorting.

The process typically works as follows:

• The contracting authority publishes a notice on Doffin describing the need
• Interested suppliers can participate in a dialogue about possible solutions
• Based on the dialogue, the tender documentation is developed
• Suppliers submit their innovative solution proposals
• The best solution is selected based on award criteria

Tools like Cobrief can help suppliers find relevant innovative procurements and prepare competitive tenders. By leveraging artificial intelligence, such tools can make it easier to identify opportunities and develop strong proposals.

Innovation procurements are important because they stimulate new thinking and development in the business community, while giving the public sector access to better solutions. This can lead to more efficient use of resources, better services for citizens, and increased competitiveness for businesses.