Embedding innovation in public services can help public administrations better serve citizens while tackling societal challenges. However, siloed structures and rigid processes often hinder the adoption of innovative approaches in public service delivery. One avenue which progressively gains traction is to leverage public procurement as a demand-side policy to introduce innovative technologies and solutions in public services. When used strategically, it can drive technological advancements, enhance public service delivery, and boost national and local productivity. This session will explore the evolving role of public procurement in fostering innovation, highlighting successful initiatives and lessons learned. By showcasing good practices and discussing ways to overcome challenges, the session will provide insights into how countries can build more dynamic, innovation-friendly procurement ecosystems that deliver long-term economic and societal benefits.

Digital transformation is revolutionising public procurement, while procurement is a pivotal element for the success of broader digital government initiatives. The session will explore both aspects: how public procurement can act as a catalyst and a testing ground for the digital transformation of the public sector and how digital transformation can enhance the efficiency of public purchasing. Topics will include the integration of data-driven insights, the role of emerging technologies, and the links between the digital transformation of public procurement and other policy domains.

Integrating public procurement with resilience and economic security objectives can enhance long-term sustainability and adaptability. This session will explore how public procurement can bolster economic security and national resilience by screening bidders, managing the trade-off between speed and accountability, and diversifying suppliers. It will also discuss incorporating national security and resilience into value-for-money assessments and the role of public procurement institutions in national resilience systems. By providing valuable data and information on potential vulnerabilities and dependencies, mapping critical suppliers, assessing production capacities, and setting data and information-sharing provisions, public procurement can become a strategic tool to advance resilience and minimise disruptions to vital societal functions.

With healthcare systems estimated to contribute over 4% of total greenhouse gas emissions worldwide on average1, and health being the largest spend category (30%) for public procurement, strategic procurement is emerging as a key tool to align health systems with sustainability goals. Furthermore, public procurement strategies can support innovation in the health sector, ultimately leading to improved health care for patients. However, there is still large potential to embed environmental, social, and innovation considerations into procurement practices for health technologies. This session will explore how countries and businesses are advancing strategic procurement in the health sector, sharing insights on emerging frameworks and best practices, such as the use of risk-sharing contracts, as well as opportunities to drive better healthcare for better lives.

Governments worldwide are under mounting pressure to ensure public funds deliver maximum value, whether through better goods and services for their citizens or through more effective, targeted development aid. At the heart of this challenge lies the urgent need to enhance public procurement globally. This session will spotlight how governments and development partners are leveraging the Methodology for Assessing Procurement Systems (MAPS) suite of tools to systematically evaluate public procurement systems. Concrete cases will exemplify how MAPS is driving better procurement outcomes and catalysing sustainable development across diverse jurisdictions.