Pre‐commercial procurement: a demand or supply policy instrument in relation to innovation?

Charles Edquist; Jon Mikel Zabala‐Iturriagagoitia

doi:10.1111/radm.12057

journal article Apr 03, 2014

Pre‐commercial procurement: a demand or supply policy instrument in relation to innovation?

Charles Edquist Jon Mikel Zabala‐Iturriagagoitia

R&D Management Vol. 45 No. 2 pp. 147-160 · Wiley

View at Publisher Save 10.1111/radm.12057

Abstract

In 2006, the European Commission introduced the concept of ‘pre‐commercial procurement’ (PCP) as an instrument to promote innovation and to mitigate grand challenges. One of the main motives for the support of PCP schemes was to use public needs as a driver for innovation. This concept was also introduced as a response to the need to reinforce the innovation capabilities of the European Union while improving the quality and efficiency of public services.But what is meant by PCP? Is it a demand‐ or a supply‐side instrument in relation to innovation? This is the research question addressed in this paper, the goal being motivated by the lack of academic discussion in this direction.The paper is based on three cases, one from the Netherlands, one from the United Kingdom and one from Australia. These cases provide evidence that PCP is a matter of research and development (R&D) funding of a targeted kind, geared toward very specific goals and in a focused way. This leads the authors to conclude that PCP is a supply‐side policy instrument in relation to innovation. In this sense, they would like to raise a flag for going back to the origins of the PCP program and calling it a ‘precompetitive R&D program’, rather than labeling it as an innovation procurement instrument.

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Metrics

57

Citations

48

References

Details

Published: Apr 03, 2014
Vol/Issue: 45(2)
Pages: 147-160
License: View

Authors

C

Charles Edquist

CIRCLE Lund University Lund Skåne Sweden

J

Jon Mikel Zabala‐Iturriagagoitia

CIRCLE Lund University Lund Skåne Sweden; Deusto Business School University of Deusto Donostia Spain

Funding

European Commission Award: 225134

Basque Government Department of Education, Language Policy and Culture

Rausing Foundation

Cite This Article

Charles Edquist, Jon Mikel Zabala‐Iturriagagoitia (2014). Pre‐commercial procurement: a demand or supply policy instrument in relation to innovation?. R&D Management, 45(2), 147-160. https://doi.org/10.1111/radm.12057

Pre‐commercial procurement: a demand or supply policy instrument in relation to innovation?

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