Driving innovation and sustainable development

The network-based Competence Centre for Sustainable and Innovative Public Procurement (KEINO) was established in 2018. KEINO supports and assists contracting entities in the implementation and development of sustainable and innovative public procurement. The network’s term will end in 2021.

In addition to Hansel, the network includes Motiva Ltd, Business Finland, KL-Kuntahankinnat Oy, the Association of Finnish Local and Regional Authorities, the Finnish Innovation Fund Sitra, Finnish Environment Institute (Syke) and VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland. Hansel offers to the network its competence on procurement in central government, the development of public procurement and the management of practical procurement processes. The network can use Hansel’s comprehensive competencies ranging from analysts to consultants and development managers.

KEINO supports public procurement entities all the way from the preparation of the procurement to the contract procedure. The services have been divided into service packages offered to the contracting entities.

The service package for strategic management and measurement of procurement offers training to the management of the contracting entities and communicates information on how to measure effectiveness. The goal is to promote understanding within the contracting entities on the significance of strategy and develop procurement into a systematically managed and strategically significant function of the organisation. In the service package, Hansel has participated in the preparation of surveys which map the starting level in the whole of Finland and the planning of a roadmap to support the contracting entities’ strategy measures.

The customer groups facilitate interaction between contracting entities interested in the same themes related to sustainable and innovative public procurement. KEINO also promotes the introduction of Green Deal agreements between governmental organisations and service providers. Hansel has participated in the work of the development teams with its expert input. Hansel promotes the work of the development teams on social responsibility, the opportunity to apply the innovation partnership procurement method, as well as sustainable and innovative event management.

A service package on the development of procurement units’ competencies was started with a competence survey in the procurement units, recruitment of change agents to be placed in different provinces and the planning of training courses. Competence development is also realised by means of offering consulting to procurement units and collecting example data. The work is supported by Hansel’s strong training expertise. Through cooperation with educational establishments, KEINO’s message will also reach future procurement experts.

KEINO’s impact is not limited to Finland. In 2018, Hansel’s experts spoke about KEINO at the EcoProcura 2018 conference in the Netherlands and a social responsibility meeting in London. The opportunities provided by international cooperation will be especially pronounced during Finland’s EU presidency.

A functional network is more than the sum of its parts. KEINO’s member organisations are trailblazers in Finnish procurement. Hansel’s work in the network aims at making procurement in central government and municipalities more sustainable and innovative. Due to the significance of public procurement and the procurement volume, KEINO’s work systemically covers society as a whole, enabling better cooperation between governmental organisations, the private sector and customers now and in the future.