Public procurement makes up about one third of government expenditures and thus represents an important direct source of income for all companies. However, access to public procurement is generally more difficult for SMEs than for larger firms. Barriers include a lack of information on procurement opportunities, large volumes and broad capability requests, restricted access to certain contracts, disproportionate high technical and financial qualification levels, short tender deadlines, high submission costs, high insurance and financial guarantee requirements, administrative burdens and difficulties to identify bidding partners.
For these reasons, EBC calls for the proper interpretation of European public procurement legislation together with national and regional bodies in order to grant direct access for SMEs to public tenders and avoid distortive criteria that disadvantage SMEs.
Since January 2019, EBC Vice-President Philip van Nieuwenhuizen is a member of the European Commission Stakeholder Expert Group on Public Procurement, ensuring SMEs’ access to public tenders and equal participation conditions for SMEs.
Links
News
- Public procurement: EBC participates to High Level Construction Forum session on BIM in public contracts - - Read more
- Rising prices: EBC meets with DG GROW Director for Construction G. Cozigou - - Read more
- Public Procurement: EBC meets new Head of Unit to discuss innovative concepts and Expert Group - - Read more
- Public Procurement: EBC meets European Commission to discuss impact of rising material and energy prices - - Read more
- Public procurement: Support construction SMEs during Covid-19 by better implementing the Directive - - Read more
- Renovation wave to support the recovery: videocall with EU Energy Commissioner Kadri Simson - - Read more
- EBC welcomes the European Green Deal communication - - Read more
- EBC Annual Conference 2019 - Public Procurement: how to improve access for construction SMEs? - - Read more
- EBC Annual Conference 2019 - Public Procurement: how to improve access for construction SMEs? - - Read more