Public procurement of innovation for ITS
Transport infrastructure operators from 10 countries to commonly foster the use of PPI for ITS
Copenhagen, 11 March 2014 | ERTICO – ITS Europe is pleased to announce the launch of the new EU co-funded network P4ITS. Joining expertise from legal and operational experts in one group of public and private transport infrastructure operators, the P4ITS network will advocate how Public Procurement of Innovation can be best carried out in Europe to support the deployment of ITS.
How do you finally purchase those cooperative systems equipments which have been developed for many years? Exploiting different methods of Public Procurement of Innovation (or PPI) is part of the answer, according to the members of the newly formed P4ITS network, who gathered in Copenhagen (Denmark) for a two day kick-off meeting. Together, they will analyse how to use the various approaches of PPI for the deployment of ITS.
“We have reached a point where PPI has to break new ground, to foster the deployment of cooperative systems and their market introduction. A demand-driven innovation approach could bring essential benefits, but also new challenges for public procurers”, said Martin Russ, General Manager of AustriaTech. PPI has been indeed described as one approach with high potential to help public authorities introduce new products and services to the market. But some questions remain, and it was the first task of the P4ITS members to identify the potential barriers.
It appeared from the discussions that immaterial rights sharing, open publication of results or cross-brand interoperability, amongst other aspects, remain brainteasers for procurers, and are sometimes seen as scarecrows by the industry. The P4ITS members realised that they “are all facing similar challenges on procurement of innovations. It will be highly beneficial to address those together, and maybe develop common approaches”, as stated by Lasse Stender, Chief Legal Advisor at the North Denmark Region and host of the meeting.
Combining expertise from both operational and legal backgrounds, the P4ITS members will facilitate the necessary exchange between the two fields in order to produce recommendations on the best way to implement PPI in Europe. “Having both lawyers and engineers committed to P4ITS is already an achievement. I am convinced this will be a key to the success of the network” said ERTICO’s Sébastien Mure, P4ITS coordinator.
Contact: Sébastien MURE, P4ITS Coordinator
s.mure@mail.ertico.com Tel: +32 2 400 07 42 Avenue Louise 326 B – 1050 Brussels
