Public procurement represents around 16% of GDP in the European Union (EU), giving public buyers a powerful tool to support policy goals. This makes the public buyer’s job more important, but also more challenging. In addition to ensuring transparency and fair competition, public buyers are now often expected to contribute to sustainability, security, and innovation, usually without additional time or resources.

This document provides practical guidance on how to stimulate innovation through procurement. It outlines what public buyers can do to prepare a tender for innovation, highlighting the most effective approaches. The guidance is based on a large-scale study of over 1,600 public buyers across the EU and draws on statistically robust findings.

The next document explains:

• what public buyers can learn while preparing tenders for innovations and how these learnings matter (Section 2);
• which preparation methods are most effective for gaining these insights (Section 3);
• which types of suppliers and stakeholders are most useful to engage with during preparation (Section 4).

Link to the document and project information: https://www.uu.nl/en/research/copernicus-institute-of-sustainable-development/demotrans-the-interchange-between-democratic-institutions-and-the-globalisation-of-the-economy 

Details SectorAgricultureConstruction & InfrastructureDefence, Security and SafetyEducation and SportsEnergy and WaterFacility & Fleet Management and EquipmentHealthICT, Cloud and dataservicesMobility & TransportationProfessional services (consultancy, legal, financial advice)Social ServicesTourism, Culture and ArtsWaste managementPublication date13 July 2026Submitted byPelle BerkhoutEuropean commissionNo