Vinnova supports the public sector in the green transition

The mobilization is about eligibility requirements for plastic recycling in the construction industry, purchase of smart consulting services, support to procure new solutions for green conversion, innovation partnerships and the opportunity to test and experiment on sustainable projects project. The public sector has the main role here.

With just over 800 billion in purchases per year, the sector has greater potential to affect the climate than Sweden's transport sector and agriculture combined. There are thus great opportunities here to pursue a sustainable transition towards the global goals in Agenda 2030.

But tools and solutions are needed that do not exist today. Solutions that the sector may need support in demanding and setting requirements. In addition, the public sector may need resources to become an early customer or perform important tests. Then solutions that are new on the market can be procured by several and come into wide use.

The public sector has the opportunity!

Vinnova therefore offers funding for project with the ambition of implementing procurements - including innovation partnerships, but also other forms that contribute to more climate-smart choices.

- Innovation in publicly funded activities is a prerequisite for us to be able to meet the societal challenges we face and be able to build sustainable welfare, says Judit Wefer, area manager for Transformative public sector and civil society at Vinnova. It is crucial for our ability to adapt to green and to be able to achieve the climate goals of net zero emissions by 2045.

Checks enable climate-smart alternatives

In the offer "Checks for innovation procurement", the buyer gets the opportunity to bring in external experts in procurements that contribute to green conversion. These can be consultants in the circular economy, climate or environment, but also expertise in process management, law and agreements, intangible assets and procurement procedures or service design.

The purpose is for the purchaser to dare to set requirements, verify and test environmentally friendly solutions.

- Public buyers often do not dare to take the risk of investing in new environmentally smart alternatives as the first customer, says Nina Widmark, announcement manager for the offer. It is perceived as a risk if the solution has not been tested in Sweden yet.

Checks for innovation procurement 2022 - green conversion

Requirements for recycling plastic

The public sector makes large purchases in the construction sector. I Vinnovas and the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency's joint effort "Increased material recycling of plastic in the construction sector - from design to recycling", the public sector can receive funding for project aimed at increasing material recycling of plastic. As significant purchasers of construction and demolition services, the sector has the opportunity to set eligibility requirements in cooperation with other parties and when procuring suppliers.

In the offer, public activities support, among other things, makes a difference by consciously prioritizing project where they dare to raise the requirements for circularity and material recycling. The support can, among other things, be interesting for customer networks.

Increased material recycling of plastic in the construction sector - from design to recycling

Innovation partnership for new bio-based solutions

Another current offer gives organizations the opportunity to invest in innovation procurement that contributes to a bio-based economy.

The offer concern so-called innovation partnerships. It is a procurement procedure where the public sector collaborates with business partners in the development of new solutions. The idea is that the new solutions can then be purchased directly without new procurement. In a first step, Vinnova finances preparations for innovation partnerships. Project will land in an advertisement for tender applications and result in completed procurement documents.

Hypothesis testing and innovation procurement in the public sector Step 1 - BioInnovation