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Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs

Emerging technologies in public procurement

Emerging technologies can transform public procurement. From automating repetitive administrative tasks to providing unprecedented information and analysis regarding spending patterns and project results, new technology can enable better decisions, lower costs, and increase transparency.

In 2019, the Directorate-General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs commissioned under the ISA2 a study on the uptake of emerging technologies in public procurement. This study examined how public authorities around the globe are using new technologies when procuring goods and services.

Covering technologies including artificial intelligence and machine learning, big data and data analytics, blockchain, robotic process automation, augmented and virtual reality, internet of things, and drones, the study features:

  • a longlist of 96 projects (as of January 2020) where these new technologies have been explored or used by public authorities for procurement
  • 20 detailed case studies presenting the issue addressed, impact, cost, requirements and risks of particularly interesting emerging technology projects
  • a final report presenting the overall approach and findings of the project, including 10 recommendations for the application of emerging technologies to public procurement

Update (22 June 2020): 4 new projects from Slovenia, the Netherlands, Italy and Spain have been added. The most frequently used emerging technologies in these new projects are business intelligence and blockchain.

Update (21 September 2021): 4 new projects from the Netherlands and Hungary have been added. The emerging technologies used in these projects are blockchain, RPA, 3D printing and virtual reality.

Know of a project applying any of these emerging technologies to public procurement? You can have your project added to our longlist by sending the details to GROW-B4atec [dot] europa [dot] eu (GROW-B4[at]ec[dot]europa[dot]eu).