Innovation procurement checks 2021 - pilot

Vinnova has the task of promoting sustainable growth by improving the conditions for innovation. Improved conditions for innovation strengthen the capacity to achieve the goals for sustainable development in Agenda 2030. Through our efforts, we contribute to the global commitment to achieve the goals.

Our work to contribute to the goals in Agenda 2030

The financing of checks for innovation procurement will strengthen the conditions for the use of innovation procurement. * This is to promote the development and dissemination of innovative and sustainable solutions that contribute to increased welfare, business competitiveness, equal societal development and the fulfillment of the global sustainability goals in Agenda2030.

Innovation procurement is a process where public organizations and innovative companies meet to collaborate before or in a procurement on developing new innovative solutions. Innovation procurement is not a specific methodology or procedure. The process is based on the same basis as other public procurement, but also on the same logic as in other types of innovation projects. It is a combination of traditional public procurement and experimental innovation projects, which requires expertise of many kinds. For more information on innovation and procurement, see What is innovation in procurement? | Procurement Authority

The financing is aimed at contracting authorities and entities (contracting organizations). You are in an innovation procurement or will produce decision material for an upcoming innovation procurement. You need external expertise or specialized advice. The grant can also pay for access to external labs, test beds, test and demo facilities, production facilities and similar infrastructure in connection with an innovation procurement.

The purpose of the grant is to make it easier for contracting organizations to make more informed and better strategic decisions in a timely manner, by taking advantage of external strategic expertise and specialized advice when their own resources or knowledge are insufficient.

Funding can be applied for during the period 20 September 2021 - 8 November 2021. Vinnova collects applications weekly during the period starting on 1 October 2021. Decisions are made continuously within the next ten working days after each reading.

The pilot is part of Vinnova's effort on innovation and procurement in our strategic area Transformative public sector and civil society and Regeringsuppdrag N2021/01194. Regeringsuppdrag N2021/01194

*) Innovation procurement: procurement that promotes the development and implementation of innovative and sustainable solutions, innovations.Innovation procurement, SOU 2010: 56.

The call is aimed at contracting organizations, ie organizations that are subject to procurement legislation.

Procurement legislation covers the Public Procurement Act (LOU), the Procurement Sector Procurement Act (LUF), the Concession Procurement Act (LUK) or the Defense and Security Procurement Act (LUFS).

You can apply for funding to purchase external strategic expertise and specialized advice needed in connection with an innovation procurement. This can, for example, be external strategic competence or specialized advice in the subject area, market analysis and market dialogue, process management, innovation management, law and agreements, intangible assets, service design and procurement procedures.

The grant may also cover access to external labs, test beds, test and demo facilities, production facilities and similar infrastructure needed to verify and validate various production and development critical features of the new solutions in an innovation procurement.

It is not possible to apply for funding for internal costs that arise in connection with the project.

Two types of project

We finance two different types of project:

Option 1: You are in an ongoing innovation procurement and have a need to hire external expertise or specialized advice to strengthen the results of your innovation procurement. You may also need external infrastructure for verification and validation.

Our intention is that the financing will contribute to increasing the quality of ongoing procurements of innovation.

Option 2: You are considering an innovation procurement and need to produce a decision basis to decide whether to proceed with such a project. You need to hire external expertise or specialized advice to drive the process or to contribute knowledge that strengthens the decision basis.

Our intention is that the financing will increase the opportunity to produce early decision-making documents that can lead to innovation procurement.

Eligible costs

The following costs are eligible:

• Costs for consultants and licenses etc.
• Other direct costs

For further information on eligible costs, see Instructions for eligible costs

Our funding is through funding. Funding for parties who does not conduct financial activities granted in accordance with ordinance (2009: 1101) with instructions for the Swedish Agency innovation system In these cases, the grant does not constitute State aid. Read more here

Organizations that conduct economic activities will be granted funding with the support of § 2 p. 2 ordinance (2015: 208) on state support for research and development and innovation, ie as support of minor importance ( de minimis- support) according to Regulation (EU) No 1407/2013

Before you can be granted de minimis, you must submit a certificate of minor support The form can be downloaded from Vinnova's website. This is done in connection with proposal. The maximum allowable support of minor importance is 200,000 euros per recipient during the last three tax years.

The size of the grant is up to SEK 200,000 per competence or access to infrastructure.

If you apply for support for alternative 1, the grant amounts to a maximum of SEK 400,000 for the use of two or more external competencies, alternatively two or more fees for access to external infrastructure. If only an external competence / infrastructure is used, the grant amounts to a maximum of SEK 200,000.

If you apply for support for alternative 2, the grant amounts to a maximum of SEK 200,000.

No co-financing required. Aid intensity is 100%.

The total budget for the call is SEK 3 million.

We will only assess applications that meet the following formal eligibility requirements:

• Applicant constitutes a contracting public authority or department (contracting organization). Contracting organization refers to all organizations that are subject to procurement legislation.
• Proposal must be written in Swedish and / or English.
• The appendix “Project description” must be written according to the template provided by Vinnova on the call's website. The template should be used without editing fonts or margins. No custom formats on the attachment are accepted.
• Proposal has been received via Vinnova's portal no later than 8 November 2021 at 14.00.

What do we assess?

Potential

• To what extent the planned or ongoing innovation procurement can generate societal value. This includes addressing a challenge that is relevant to other actors (in and outside the public sector), that the demand for new innovative solutions is great and that developing companies have the conditions to disseminate and scale solutions.
• The extent to which the solutions in the planned or ongoing innovation procurement are assessed as innovative.
• The project's potential to make a positive contribution to the global sustainability goals in Agenda 2030, as well as minimize the negative effects.
• The extent to which innovation procurement is to be designed taking into account a gender perspective and how the results are to benefit both women and men.

Actors

• To what extent the external competence to be procured is relevant for the planned or ongoing innovation procurement.
• To what extent does the project manager have the competence and ability to carry out the project.
• To what extent does the project involve representation from: a) the business area that will use the solution, b) internal expertise in procurement and c) internal innovation or development staff.

Feasibility

• To what extent the budget and schedule are realistic and appropriate in relation to the scope and type of external expertise and / or specialist advice to be engaged.

How do we rate?

Your proposal will be assessed against the criteria above. The applications that are judged to meet the criteria well enough are granted funding.

Vinnova's overall portfolio perspective may affect the final selection of project. Priority is given to applications that have the potential to take advantage of the opportunities of digitalisation, strengthen the development of a resource-efficient, circular economy and increase the use of climate-neutral goods and services.

The evaluators consist of a group of Vinnova specially appointed experts and programme manager from Vinnova.

The decision process looks like this:

• Only applications that, after examination, meet the formal requirements set out in Chapter 5 will be assessed.
• The assessments are made using the criteria set out in section 6.
• Based on the assessors' recommendation, Vinnova decides which project will be granted funding.
• Vinnova's overall portfolio perspective may affect the final selection.
• decision is sent to those who applied for funding and Vinnova publishes information on approved project on www.vinnova.se.

Funding can be applied for during the period 20 September 2021 - 8 November 2021. Vinnova collects applications weekly during the period starting on 1 October 2021. Decisions are made within the next ten working days after each reading.

Important dates:

• Last application date: applications can be submitted every day, but no later than November 8, 2021, at 14:00.
• Last decision: 22 November 2021.
• Project start: no earlier than two weeks after the next reading opportunity and no later than 31 January 2022.
• Project end: no later than 30 September 2022.