Report shines light on barriers to procurement of innovation in Northern Ireland
An exaggerated perception of costs and legal risks is prohibiting public procurers in Northern Ireland from embracing procurement of innovation, a new report has revealed. The document found that while a number of successful initiatives exist in the region, innovative procurement processes are not widely used, despite support from the EU Procurement Directive. The threat of a legal challenge by a supplier has led to public sector buyers choosing more structured procurement procedures and setting restrictive tender specifications.
To overcome these impediments, the study recommends that the public sector should commit to developing commissioners’ and buyers’ market knowledge and commercial skills, facilitate greater communication between the two parties and suppliers, and encourage greater collaboration between suppliers to increase their capability to provide innovative products and solutions. Among other recommendations, it is advised that the public sector initiate an incentive programme for employees who encourage innovation through their procurement practices.
The study, which was carried out for the Northern Ireland Council for Voluntary Action, was compiled through a mixture of desk research and interviews with people operating in the field, including a survey of suppliers and in-depth focus group discussions with public sector buyers. The interviews aimed to gather views and experiences of both the public sector and the supplier base on how well innovation is encouraged through public procurement.
For more information, visit nicva.org.