Public procurement for social progress – Social Platform guide released!

In April 2014 the EU’s Public Procurement Directive came into force. Member States have until 18 April 2016 to transpose the Directive into national legislation. Most of the provisions that would allow the use of public procurement to pursue social and environmental policy objectives are not mandatory. Much will depend on the choices made by Member States during the transposition phase.

With the support of the European Network of Cities and Regions for the Social Economy (REVES), Social Platform has developed the Guide “Public procurement for social progress“.  I would like to thank in particular the following members who actively contributed to this work: Eurodiaconia, European Disability Forum (EDF), European Network of social integration enterprises (ENSIE), European Association of Service Providers for persons with Disabilities (EASPD), European Confederation of cooperatives active in industry and services (CECOP), European Federation of National Organisations Working with the Homeless (FEANTSA) and European Platform for Rehabilitation (EPR).

Our guide puts forward our recommendations and outlines opportunities to help Member States and contracting authorities to embrace the full social potential of the Directive. We also aim at facilitating the understanding of the Directive by social economy enterprises and non-profit social and health service providers.

In order to capitalise on the social advantages the Directive offers, we have focused on the following three areas:

  • “Reserved contracts” for economic operators that promote the social and professional integration of persons with disabilities and disadvantaged persons.
  • “Social considerations” as the silver thread through the procurement process (e.g. how to promote fundamental rights, gender equality, employment opportunities for people further away from the labour market, decent work).
  • Putting service users first by designing effective procedures for awarding contracts for social and health services.

Our key messages are the following:

  1. Encourage the evaluation of bids on the basis of the Best Price-Quality Ratio, in particular those concerning social and health services.
  2. Member States should include the provision on reserved contracts (article 20) in national legislation, to support persons with disabilities and disadvantaged persons in accessing employment opportunities.
  3. Allow reserved contracts for social services provided by social economy operators.
  4. Develop in all Member States support mechanisms for contracting authorities, social economy enterprises and businesses.
  5. Contracting authorities, where feasible, should award contracts in the form of separate lots.

Linguistic versions in French, Spanish, German, Italian and Croatian will be available in the coming weeks.

 Should you have any comments or questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.