innoPROCUR

innoPROCUR is a project funded by the European Union under the Horizon 2020 program (Financing Contract No. 759596).

The general objective of the project is to develop a common approach to better support the Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs) in the participation in PCP - Pre Commercial Procurement (which promotes the development of solutions to meet specific needs of the public sector, putting comparing and validating alternative approaches proposed by various suppliers) and PPI - Public Procurement of Innovation (for the initial launch on the market, as "first buyer" or validator, of innovative solutions).

The target group is represented by innovative SMEs that can supply innovative goods and services and benefit from participation in PCP / PPI, obtaining new business opportunities and resources for the development of innovations and their competitiveness on the market. However, at the moment these SMEs do not have specific and effective support services, which increase their awareness of these opportunities, inform them and support them in the procedures of PCP / PPI. Support services that facilitate SMEs in participating in PCP / PPI, in fact, can help companies access private funds and close the gap in the pre-commercialization phase of their innovative products and services.

The peer-learning activity will serve the project partners to "learn from the best" and share the "good and bad practices" regarding the support services to SMEs on PCP / PPI.

The Design Options Paper that will be set up will serve as a "guide" or "manual" for other agencies and business support organizations to provide similar and / or more focused services.

PARTNERS

• Friuli Innovazione Centro di Ricerca e Trasferimento Tecnologico, Italia
• PIANOo - Dutch Public Procurement Expertise Centre, The Netherlands
• LARR - Lodz Regional Development Agency, Poland