E-procurement one stop shop is a big deal for small firms

The 'e-bourgogne tendering system', launched in 2005, was originally an online procurement platform serving some 900 public bodies – from local councils to utility companies – from the Burgundy region of France. Now, according to ICT, more than 12,000 businesses – mostly SMEs across Europe – have used the system, generating nearly 240,000 downloads and more than 8,000 electronic tenders. "We have seen a 15—20% reduction in the value of regular small tenders which represents a substantial saving of tax payers' money," remarks Louis-François Fléri, of the EU-funded PROCURE project. He explains that the platform was built with an open-source licence, making it straightforward for any organisation to adapt it and deploy it for their own e-tendering protocols. However, PROCURE has gone a step further by linking them and creating the first inter-regional network of shared e-procurement platforms. "This network of regional e-procurement platforms is a major boost for greater competitiveness and innovation in the delivery of public services. But it is also great news for SMEs who should benefit from a one-stop shop," insists Fléri. "They will be able to find and bid for public contracts from across Europe – especially low value ones which do not get published through TED. It is a great step towards a single market and will drive the growth of Europe's most efficient, innovative SMEs."