Eight open round tables, four in the morning and four in the afternoon, focused on the following themes:
1. Green procurement and ESG
Is environment still a priority?
How ESG and circular economy can drive sustainable business
Best practices for the evaluation of corporate and product carbon footprint
Extensive sustainability reporting or due diligence process?
Are ESG requirements new barriers to trade?
ESG and the role of suppliers.
2. Goals and principles for the modern public procurement
Does the ‘best value for money’ goal justify some form of norm flexibility or should the compliance with law continue to be the overarching goal of the procurement cycle?
Understanding the core principles of public procurement: open competition, proportionality, accountability, fairness (equal treatment and non-discrimination), transparency, integrity and social utility.
3. How to enhance competition in public procurement
Strategies to boost supplier’s participation maximizing the benefits of effective competition. Participation of SMEs in public procurement: opportunities, challenges and policy implications. Fostering competition among suppliers, ensuring fair evaluation processes, and preventing anti-competitive practices. Towards a more strategic public procurement that fosters effective and fair competition.
4. Innovation to drive the adoption of new or improved solutions to public needs
What does innovation mean in public procurement and why do we need to innovate? Innovation in rule-making. Innovation in procurement negotiations and procedures. Innovation in products and services and the role of suppliers. Pre-commercial in procurement. The OECD framework for the effective use of innovative procurement.
5. Automation and AI to improve efficiency, transparency and productivity in Public Procurement
From dynamic e-procurement to AI applications. Importance of data and integration of public procurement platforms. Prerequisites, risk and benefits of traditional and generative AI. Good and bad experiences in AI project design and implementation.
6. Enhanced professionalism and discretion of Public Procurement operators
Giving frontline staff the power to make exceptions to the rules to improve outcomes. Focus on compliance, but also on performance and effective interests of the community. Enhancing professionalism to unleash PP full potential through training and education, improved skills and competences, certification, incentives, career development and advanced technologies. The role of the Marketing Decision Support System (MDSS).
7. Governance and organisation of contracting authorities
Appropriate balance and synergies between national, regional and local PP. Central coordination or centralized procurement? Clear definition of roles and responsibilities and greater integration between roles. Collaborative approaches and open dialogue with suppliers. More flexible and efficient proceeding; automation supported by AI agents, KPIs and financial audits.
8. Public Procurement performance management: a framework for measuring efficiency, compliance and planned targets
Importance of performance measurement and evaluation and recommended key indicators.
Tools and methods for performance analysis: balanced scorecards and capability maturity models. OECD indicators and weaknesses detected. Problematic practices and systemic inefficiencies of PP in Europe (European Court of Auditors).
Twelve presentations in plenary sessions on the above subjects:
three presentations: one by a member of the European Commission, the second by a German expert and the third by a senior French official
two presentations by Asia-Pacific executives
two presentations by African executives
one presentation by the President of NIGP, the American Institute of Public Procurement
five presentations by Italians Public Procurement Authorities, academics and executives of state-owned companies.