XPRESS – an EU-funded project under Horizon 2020 R&I programme – gives support to Public Procurements to facilitate the collaboration between SMEs and public sector for the adoption of Renewable Energy Sources (RES) in regions. Public procurement can be an effective tool for promoting innovation and integration of RES - for municipalities and businesses. However, there are several barriers that need to be overcome.
First Portuguese Stakeholder Café - barriers and solution for both SMEs and regional/public authorities involved in Green Public Procurement
The stakeholder cafe is aimed at identifying solutions and proposals, considering both barriers (including EU procurement rules) and opportunities based on the most up to date results of the XPRESS project.
For example, it may be difficult for a public authority to find the small and medium-sized enterprise that can offer innovative services. By the same token, complex public procurement procedures might represent a burden for SMEs.
These issues are even more relevant when restarting business after the pandemic. In this context, the workshop will be evaluating barriers and enablers to the collaboration between innovative SMEs and local government. For instance, it may be difficult for a public authority to find an SME offering the “green” innovative services needed. Conversely, it may be a barrier to SMEs that procurement procedures at regional and municipal level are overly complicated.
For the above mentioned reason, a table round discussion is foreseen among Regional Portuguese Development Agencies (RDAs) which are dealing with innovation in RES through Public Procurement and Green Public Procurement (GPP).
The event will be held in two languages: Portuguese and English. Each speaker can opt for the language that he/she prefers.
