Capacity building to boost usage of PPI in Central Europe
Public procurement of Innovative Solutions (PPI) is a powerful tool to boost innovation. The public sector demands innovative solutions that are not yet available or not at large scale on the market and thus forces providers to innovate. PPI is well supported on EC level (i.e. H2020), there exist also various guidance and training tools already for few years. So far they didn&#39;t boost the PPI usage in majority of CE regions, because available tools are not customized to national frameworks and regional knowledge hubs are missing.

Our project targets directly public procurers on all administrative levels in CE with aim to build regional capacities in PPI, change attitude towards PPI, strengthen linkages among relevant stakeholders in regional innovation systems and thus boost usage of PPI in CE. We will achieve this CHANGE by delivery of these innovative outputs: 3 Thematic PPI2Innovate Tools for SMART Health, Energy and ICT fully customized to 6 national institutional frameworks and translated; 6 Regional Competence Centers for PPI and their CE network; 6 Action plans to implement 8 PPI projects in each region; 4 PPI pilots to strengthen linkages, to apply trans-regional “learning by doing approach” and to show success stories in 4 CE regions. PPI pilots will start with definition of demanded innovative solutions, continue with public procurement and finish by signature of the contracts with private suppliers, winners of the procurement.

10 partners from 6 countries will implement project. 6 Network partners – 3 sectoral agencies + 3 research and innovation actors working closely with public procurers, will secure creation of sustainable linkages in regional innovation systems. 4 procurers representing all levels of public adm.- local, county, regional and national will form unique pilot environment for 4 PPI pilots.3 partners (knowledge PPs) will capitalize their experience from previous projects (UNI of Turin, City of Lublin, DEXIC)