Public Procurement Excellence Programme 2022 – Successful start of the European training program for experts in public procurement

On 26 September 2022, the official Kick-Off for the Public Procurement Excellence Programme (PPE) 2022 took place at the WU Executive Academy in Vienna. The programme for experienced buyers of Central Purchasing Bodies (CPBs), which is organised by the BBG together with its project partner, the WU Executive Academy, is already taking place for the third time. The programme is co-financed by the European Commission.

During the Kick-Off event, the 31 participants from 14 European countries had the opportunity to discuss with internationally recognised experts on public procurement and logistics about current topics and developments in the field of public procurement. Until March 2023, the participants will acquire knowledge, methods, and instruments of modern public procurement in a total of 31 different training modules.

Dr Barbara Stöttinger, Dean of the WU Executive Academy of the Vienna University of Economics and Business, and Dr Martin Ledolter, LL.M., Managing Director of the BBG, opened the event. Mr. Jean-Yves Muylle, new Director of the Procurement Policy Unit in the Directorate-General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs at the European Commission, highlighted the far-reaching influence of the programme and the associated importance for the professionalisation of public procurement in Europe. The contribution of the programme to European cooperation and the establishment of a network among central procurement bodies across all national borders was particularly emphasised.

During the Kick-Off, all programme participants had the opportunity to present the respective greatest challenges their countries are currently facing in the field of public procurement. This was followed by a panel discussion during which the common challenges and opportunities of the countries were addressed and discussed in the panel of experts. Mr Alexander Buchinger, technical expert in the field of operational procurement and contract management at BBG; Mr Jozef Kubinec, Head of the Works and ICT Procurement Department at the Ministry of Interior of the Slovak Republic; Mr Tobias Polzer, Assistant Professor at the Institute for Organisation Studies at the Vienna University of Economics and Business Administration; and Mr Franz Staberhofer, Head of the Logistics Centre at the University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria, took part in the discussion and answered the questions of the participants.

The second part of the day was dedicated to the content-related aspects of the programme. In addition to input on the programme process, a workshop was held in which the participants were able to exchange their views and ideas on the specific challenges and issues related to public procurement in their respective organisations. This was the basis for the definition of various business projects, which will be developed in small groups over the duration of the programme in the form of final papers.

The total of 31 modules will be offered in blended learning mode between September 2022 and March 2023. Once again, we can welcome experts from both Austria and abroad as lecturers for the training programme. The programme offers participants the opportunity to combine academic knowledge with practical experience in modern public procurement and fosters the exchange of experience with experts from different countries. After the programme, participants are invited to join the PPE alumni network to establish a sustainable network of experts, which has been set up together with the participants of the first two training programmes.

The project makes an important contribution to reinforcing the role of the BBG as a professional partner in Austria and Europe and strengthening the already established cooperation with the European Commission and other European procurement bodies.

More information can be found at ppe.bbg.gv.at.