From turning a building formerly used for storing oranges into a youth centre, to improving the energy efficiency of a prefabricated kindergarten, public procurement of innovation (PPI) has helped authorities in four countries find creative, energy and cost-saving solutions from private companies. This improved public services and stimulated innovation. The Prominent MED project applied PPI to four public buildings in Spain, Portugal, Italy and Croatia in a four-year-long project that ended in 2020.
Encouraging innovation through public procurement in the Mediterranean region thanks to Interreg
- 30 March 2021
“Public procurement of innovation is excellent in case of projects (works and services) where a municipality cannot work out an optimal solution by itself, and needs to make use of the experience of economic operators to improve services for citizens.”
After establishing a PPI network, the nine project partners studied and implemented procedures that could be transferred to similar contexts in the Mediterranean area. A total of 22 transferability protocols were signed with other local authorities and private bodies to duplicate the Prominent MED method.
Four projects
In Alzira, Spain, a 992 m² building dating back to 1891, Magatzem de Cucó, was turned into a youth centre with the participation of local residents. New windows were installed that help keep the building cool in summer and warm in winter, while ensuring protection against vandalism. Factors such as ease of maintenance and cleaning, sustainable materials that will minimise waste, and product lifecycle were taken into account.
In the Mértola municipality, Portugal new windows and a new ventilation system were installed in the city hall that also houses part of a museum, a total area of 685 m². The new infrastructure had to improve the energy efficiency of the building, and comply with heritage site rules, including that only wood could be used for the window frames.
The Gianni Rodari kindergarten in Narni Scalo, Umbria, Italy, was refurbished and earthquake-proofed. The internal walls of the 1248 m² building were insulated thermally and acoustically and reinforced. To help children develop digital skills, interactive whiteboards were installed.
Lastly, the Loptica kindergarten in Koprivnica, northern Croatia, received an extensive energy upgrade. The prefabricated structure was built in 1982. Several innovative solutions were applied throughout the 820 m² space that avoided the need for extensive rebuilding.
Instead of replacing old water pipes with new ones, a new supply network was installed out of sight in the attic and connected from there down to the bathrooms and kitchen. A new drainage pipe was laid under the floor, leaving the old system in place. The external walls were reinforced with thermally-insulated wooden panels and fitted with PVC-framed windows.
Creating a supporting environment
The role of local authorities in PPI is to create a demand for new products and services, and provide the environment for institutions that will encourage innovation, like incubators and research and development centres. Local authorities then act as buyers and users of these new products and solutions.
According to the Innovation Procurement Platform, public procurement accounts for about 14 % of the EU’s gross domestic product, meaning that it has great potential to stimulate the development of products and services and address societal challenges.
Total investment and EU funding
Total investment for the project “Prominent MED - Public Procurement of Innovation Boosting Green Growth in MED area” is EUR 2 697 049, with the EU’s European Regional Development Fund contributing EUR 2 292 491 through the “Interreg TN-Mediterranean” Operational Programme for the 2014-2020 programming period. The investment falls under the priority “Promote innovation capacities to develop smart and sustainable growth”.