Public Procurement: A data space to improve public spending, boost data-driven policy-making and improve access to tenders for SMEs

Summary:

Communication adopted by the European Commission on 16 March 2023, outlining its plan to build a European data space for public procurement.

Further information:

Public procurement refers to the process by which public authorities, such as government departments or local authorities, purchase work, goods or services from companies. To unlock the full potential of public procurement, access to data and the ability to analyse it are essential. However, only a minority of all call for tenders is available and searchable for analysis in one place; the great majority is spread, in different formats, at national or regional level and difficult to re-use for policy, transparency and better spending purposes.

This Communication outlines the basic architecture and analytics toolkit to be put in place through the European Union's Public Procurement Data Space (PPDS). Ultimately, it seeks to pool data on the preparation for tenders, calls for tenders and outcome of tenders. The PPDS intends to connect European databases, including TED data on public procurement, and national procurement data sets available in national portals. The use of the PPDS is not mandatory.

The PPDS is a deliverable of the European Union's Strategy for Data adopted in 2020. This strategy underlines the need to unlock this wealth of EU public procurement data. The 2023 Annual Single Market Report also highlighted the potential of data to fulfil the potential of the EU's single market. The Communication was adopted by the European Commission on 16 March 2023.

Official

European Commission: The Public Procurement Data Space (PPDS) https://single-market-economy.ec.europa.eu/single-market/public-procurement/digital-procurement/public-procurement-data-space-ppds_en

European Commission: DG Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs: News, 16/03/2023: Public Procurement Data Space: Unlocking the wealth of EU public procurement data in Europe https://single-market-economy.ec.europa.eu/news/public-procurement-data-space-unlocking-wealth-eu-public-procurement-data-europe-2023-03-16_en

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