What is Innovation Procurement? 

Innovation Procurement is a tool that promotes innovation from the public sector through the acquisition of innovative solutions (product, services or processes), which do not yet exist on the market, to resolve public needs. 

SInce 2018 CDTI drives Innovation Procurement though Pre-Commercial Procurement ublic purchase (PCP). Under this instrument, CDTI acquires R&D services to develop technological  innovative solutions, prototypes of first products or services, in the form of test series that would meet public needs. Developed prototype within the framework of these PCP will be tested and offered to any Spanish Public Entity that is interested  to provide the real environment to validate the technology . The prototype will be used only as a technology demonstrator, in order to validate technology, not for commercial purposes. These initiatives are co-financed mainly from European funds.

Early Demand Mapping

CDTI performs a constant mapping and assesment of technology needs comign from: 

• Developers (solution providers): CALL FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST(CLOSED).
• Public Entities (demanding side): MAILBOX IDEAS (open since february 2002).

Selection, preparation and implementation CPP

Once confirmed that the need is relevant and enough funds are available the following steps are followed:

• Signing of the a COLLABORATION AGREEMENT between the CDTI and the public agency that will adquire the solution.
• Launching a PRELIMINARY MARKET CONSULTATION (CPM),  as part of Technology surveillance to better asses the state of the art technology and potential solutions offered by economic operators. 
• Finally, a PUBLIC PROCUREMENT OR TENDER process is launched, awarding contracts and began the execution phase for the development of prototypes.

Furthermore, the CDTI offers INNODEMANDA PROGRAMME, which finances the technological development for companies that would potentially offer a solution in tenders.

Finally, CDTI has participated as a National Competence Centre in Innovation Procurement  in PROCURE2INNOVATE projecton behalf of the Ministry of Science and Innovation during the period 2018-jun 2022. The aim of the project Procure2Innovate, involving 10 countries members from European Union, has been coordinating and implementing strategies and in PCP exchange of best practices. Information on its final event here.

For our initiative in a 2 minute video, clickhere.