Call for applications to the 1st round of assistance to public buyers: Assistance on Needs Assessment
The first Call to apply for assistance to design and implement your innovation procurement project is currently open!
The SPIN4EIC Assistance to Public Buyers aims to provide assistance to public buyers fostering innovation in Europe throughout the whole tender preparation process, contributing to the enhancement of their capacity to purchase innovative solutions and fostering innovation in Europe. Within this programme, a total of eight Calls for applications will be launched (two per type of assistance as indicated below), and one open flexible Call offering public buyers the possibility to apply for any or more than one of the four types of assistance throughout the project duration.
Within the Calls for applications, public buyers can apply for support funded by the EIC regarding four types of assistance, namely:
1. Identification and assessment of needs
2. Building a business case development
3. Conducting an open market consultation
4. Drafting tender documents
This first Call for applications offers a maximum of 5 person-days expert assistance on the identification and assessment of needs. The support on innovation procurement will follow the EAFIP methodology and will be tailored to the needs of the public buyer on a case-by-case basis.
This Call will be open until 31 May 2024.
What’s in it for you?
Public buyers fostering innovation in Europe can apply now to the first Call for applications to receive assistance in the assessment and identification of needs that can be satisfied through innovation procurement (Pre-Commercial Procurement, Public Procurement of Innovative Solutions, Innovation Partnership). If you are at the first stage of an innovation procurement project and want to define and refine your needs to use this approach, this is your opportunity to receive assistance by our legal and business experts.
The assistance will be tailored to each case using the EAFIP methodology and Toolkit and best practices on innovation procurement. It will include videocalls, one-to-one meetings, and email support.
The selected public buyers will be supported in the identification and assessment at organisational level of at least one public challenge that could be addressed through the purchase and/or the development of an innovative solution.
The assistance may include support using techniques such as the voice of the client, working groups with users, the WIBGIF (wouldn’t it be great if…), value methodologies focused on functional analysis and LEAN methodologies, with the purpose to define functional-based requirements and use cases.
One-to-many assistance, for example in the case of training sessions, is also possible.
Please note that this Call does not provide assistance in the preparation of proposals for Horizon Europe calls. Furthermore, projects that receive EU funding for the costs related to the preparation and/or management of an innovation procurement (e.g. Horizon Europe programmes) are not eligible for assistance for activities that are eligible costs under the EU funding they already receive.
Contracting authorities selected as beneficiaries must indicate in all communications to the market related to the procurement project that they benefit from assistance offered under the SPIN4EIC initiative, which is supported by the European Innovation Council (EIC)/EISMEA.
Who can apply?
All public buyers in Europe can apply for assistance.
The public procurers will be selected through a transparent selection procedure against the following three criteria:
- Expression of concrete interest in purchasing R&D and/or innovative solution.
- In kind capacity allocated.
- Fostering of innovation in Europe and, in particular, in the EU.
Nevertheless, it needs to be noted that public buyers will be evaluated on a case by case basis and will not be immediately excluded if some criteria are not met.
The selection of the public buyers to receive assistance will be conducted in coordination with the European Commission Services/EISMEA on the basis of the interest shown via the online questionnaire. All expressions of interest received via the questionnaire are assessed according to the above criteria, based on the information provided in the questionnaire, and any additional information the European Commission/EISMEA may have decided to request. The evaluation of the candidature will take place within a period not longer than five working days from the closure of the call.
How to apply?
If you are interested to receive assistance, please apply by filling in the application form by 31/05/2024.
