The city views the circular economy as an essential approach for achieving sustainability goals and is exploring procurement approaches where waste can become new raw materials and where public authorities purchase a specific service instead of buying a product.

Explanatory video about buyers networks. Relevant for political decision makers, strategic and operative procurers, as well as suppliers.

Explanatory video about functional requirements. relevant for political decision makers, strategic and operative procurers, as well as suppliers.

Explanatory video about early dialogue/market dialogue. Targeted at political decision makers, and strategic and operative public procurers.

Explanatory video about innovation procurement. Targeted at political decision makers and strategic and operative procurers.

Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) falls under pre-commercial procurement. It enables public bodies to purchase research to stimulate innovation, when goods or services are currently not available in the marketplace. SBIR helps the public sector to address identified ‘Challenges’ that impact the citizen. On the supplier side SBIR is particularly suited to small and medium-sized business, as contracts are of relatively low value and operate in short timescales

The purpose of these guidelines is to promote best practice and consistency of application of the public procurement rules in relation to the purchase of goods and services, including the use of innovation partnerships. The guidelines are aimed primarily at public contracting authorities. However, suppliers interested in doing business with public bodies should also find them useful.

Developed to foster a more SME-friendly approach to public procurement to allow SMEs to make the most of their potential for job creation, growth and innovation. Increasing involvement of SMEs into public purchasing will result in higher competition for public contracts, leading to better value for money and efficiencies for contracting authorities.

This guide shows how you, as a public purchaser, can improve the situation of the workers and help respect international and national laws on working conditions, human rights and living wages, in
consultation with your suppliers.