Abstract

Water Public Innovation Procurement Policies (WaterPiPP) is about exploring new public innovation procurement methodologies and testing it in water sector in the context where European innovation potential in the water sector is blocked by a number of bottlenecks and barriers. Public procurement represents around 19% of the EU’s GDP, an important lead market for innovators in particular in the water and climate change sectors. Innovation procurement of products and services can (i) be used to deliver societal objectives requiring new solutions that are not available on the market or are too expensive (ii) solve problems related to the commercialization of innovative solution (iii) improve quality and efficiency of public services with a better value for money. The complementarity of the consortium partners (public organisations, procurers, knowledge institutes and facilitators) supported by a Liaison Committee (composed of the key actors of the procurement innovation chain), shows high potential of bringing together the Demand and the Supply sides in order to create a critical mass for innovative solutions. Methods and tools accompanying by awareness rising for Innovation Oriented Public Procurement for the water sector will be delivered. Thanks to workshops and the creation of the Water Innovation Procurers Forum (WIPF), WaterPiPP partners will guide and support local and regional authorities, water utilities, innovation and procurement agencies in the preparation of pilot collaborative innovation tests. WaterPiPP will last three years : the first phase will gather information to produce knowledge on IOPP transferability to the water sector, the second will focus on pilot cases where different IOPP (PCP/PPI) will be tested at least by 5 procurers.