skip to main content
European Commission Logo
Newsroom

Overview    News

Countries and regions to benefit from new support in implementing strategic procurement in the field of Cohesion Policy

Managing authorities and other relevant bodies responsible for public procurement are invited to apply for a pilot project aimed at promoting the strategic use of public buying in projects co-funded under the EU Cohesion Policy. If selected, they can benefit from practical hands-on support and technical assistance to carry out procurement more efficiently and in a sustainable manner, delivering major policy outcomes in response to today's societal and economic challenges. In particular, they will receive guidance and assistance in order to make the most out of the opportunities offered by the revised public procurement directives of 2014, i.e. less red tape and more online procedures to make it easier for small businesses to participate in public tenders and the possibility of introducing new criteria in award decision to choose socially responsible companies and innovative, environment-friendly products.

date:  09/04/2018

permalink:  Main URL

Managing authorities and other relevant bodies responsible for public procurement are invited to apply for a pilot project aimed at promoting the strategic use of public buying in projects co-funded under the EU Cohesion Policy. If selected, they can benefit from practical hands-on support and technical assistance to carry out procurement more efficiently and in a sustainable manner, delivering major policy outcomes in response to today's societal and economic challenges.  

In particular, they will receive guidance and assistance in order to make the most out of the opportunities offered by the revised public procurement directives of 2014, i.e. less red tape and more online procedures to make it easier for small businesses to participate in public tenders and the possibility of introducing new criteria in award decision to choose socially responsible companies and innovative, environment-friendly products.

The pilot, launched by Directorate-General for Regional and Urban Policy (DG REGIO), in cooperation with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), is part as part of the European Commission's Action Plan on Public Procurement aimed at helping Member States to improve the performance of both administrations and beneficiaries in applying public procurement for EU investments during the 2014-2020 programming period. The European Structural and Investment (ESI) Funds channel over €450 billion into the EU real economy over the 2014-2020 funding period, half of which is invested through public procurement.

Interested authorities can apply until 20 April 2018. Please send an expression of interest to REGIO-E1-ADMINISTRATIVE-CAPACITY@ec.europa.eu, filling in the application form. On the basis of the applications received, a pool of projects/procurement initiatives which are (planned to be) co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund and the Cohesion Fund will be established. 5 of them will be finally selected and receive direct support - targeted technical assistance to contracting/managing authorities - from the OECD. The costs of support will be covered by the project.