Public Buyers

The Public Procurement Data Space (PPDS): A New Era for European Tendering

Author: Daniel Simonsson, VP Subject Matter Expert at Mercell

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Public procurement data in Europe is produced by over 250,000 public buyers (EU Commission), including authorities at all levels, aggregated regionally and nationally, and partially shared with other EU countries via the Tenders Electronic Daily (TED) platform. However, this data landscape faces several challenges, including divergence in data standards across public administrations, the vast number of data producers and consumers, and the lack of a consolidated repository at the EU level beyond the mandatory requirements.

To address these issues, the European Commission has launched an ambitious initiative known as the Public Procurement Data Space (PPDS). This new platform aims to compile public procurement data from across Europe, offering easily accessible dashboards that provide key insights and analysis. By harmonising data from various sources, the PPDS seeks to overcome the fragmentation of public procurement data, allowing for a more transparent and efficient tendering process.

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Centralised Data on Public Procurement

The primary goal of the PPDS is to compile and analyse data from public tendering across Europe. The system draws from TED (Tenders Electronic Daily), the EU's public procurement journal, automatically feeding above-threshold contract notices (CN) and contract award notices (CAN) into its database. Beyond this, individual EU member states have the option to voluntarily provide additional data, including tenders below threshold values, expanding the breadth of data that the platform can analyse.

At its first launch, the PPDS includes national procurement notices from Austria, Germany, and Finland, with several other countries expected to join soon. This collaboration aims to ensure that all data, regardless of its origin, follows common standards and is easily understandable. The dashboard provides member states and stakeholders with a clearer understanding of national and European procurement practices.

Interactive Dashboards for Better Insights

One of the most valuable features of the PPDS is its 14 dashboards, which are accessible through the PPDS website. These dashboards cover various procurement aspects, such as:

  • Usage of Lots: Insights into how procurement contracts are divided into smaller components to increase competition.

  • Single Bidder: Monitoring cases where only one supplier submitted a bid, raising questions about competition and transparency.

  • Direct Awards: Tracking cases where contracts were awarded without a competitive process.

  • Strategic Procurement: Measuring how procurement aligns with national or EU strategies.

  • SME Participation: Encouraging the inclusion of small and medium-sized enterprises in public tenders.

  • Efficiency: Highlighting time and cost efficiency in the tendering process.

Several of these dashboards mirror the content found in the "Single Market Scoreboard," a longstanding tool that tracks public procurement trends. However, it is expected that the PPDS will eventually replace the Scoreboard as the primary data source. Unlike the Scoreboard, which is updated annually, the PPDS is expected to provide live data, offering more immediate insights.

The European Commission has hosted a full-day event on September 24th to celebrate the launch of the Public Procurement Data Space (PPDS).

Evolving Capabilities and Future Plans

Currently, the PPDS primarily focuses on eForms-based notices from recent years. These forms simplify the procurement process by standardising the way data is collected and shared. However, there are plans to incorporate older forms from TEDXML, which would allow for a more comprehensive historical analysis. In the longer term, the PPDS aims to also include invoice data, providing insights into actual spending values. This will offer a clearer picture of how allocated funds actually are being used.

It's important to note that the PPDS is not designed to replace national procurement systems. Instead, it serves as an overarching platform that ensures consistency and comparability across Europe. By sharing data at both the national and European levels, the platform creates a common understanding of the information while reducing complexity. The PPDS also mitigates issues caused by changing data formats or evolving standards over time, offering a seamless experience for users.

PPDS is not designed to replace national procurement systems. Instead, it serves as an overarching platform that ensures consistency and comparability across Europe.

TED vs. PPDS: Key Differences

The distinction between TED and the PPDS is significant. While TED has been the central platform for EU public procurement for decades, it only covers around 20% of the overall procurement data and primarily serves as a repository for notices published as they are received. The PPDS, on the other hand, provides deeper insights by harmonising data and making it more accessible. The voluntary eForms used in the PPDS are simpler and lighter, designed to support both national and European-level publications, offering greater flexibility and understanding across different procurement regimes.

While TED will continue to serve as a reliable source for procurement data, the PPDS offers a more holistic view, allowing stakeholders to analyse trends and gain insights without needing to understand the intricacies of each country’s data schema.

Mercell for Smarter Public Procurement

As one of Europe's leading commercial service providers in public procurement, Mercell has had the opportunity to provide insights into the PPDS initiative. This new platform offers valuable knowledge into European public spending by highlighting key patterns and developments. With its aggregated data, PPDS helps streamline procurement processes and remove obstacles for both buyers and suppliers—a timely resource with the upcoming changes to European procurement legislation.

For Suppliers: New Opportunities with Key Insights

For over a decade, Mercell has been at the forefront of delivering analytical solutions, constantly improving its offering to meet the needs of the public sector. While PPDS gives a broad view of procurement data, Mercell goes deeper with deal-specific insights and real-time market analytics. Our rich market data allows suppliers to sharpen their sales strategies by incorporating historical procurement data, demand forecasts, and thorough detailed market analysis, leading to more targeted and informed decisions.

We also integrate AI to make navigating procurement data easier. For example, our AI-powered tools provide clear summaries of tender calls, helping suppliers quickly understand the key requirements. Our AI powered matching solution connects suppliers with a wider range of tenders aligned to their business profile, making the entire procurement process smoother and more effective for everyone involved.

For Buyers: Data-Driven Decisions with Confidence

In public procurement, market trends, benchmarking, and broad tendering data provide valuable insights, but the real advantage comes from accessing granular-level data, as offered by Mercell. This level of detail becomes a powerful tool in the buyer's arsenal, unlocking deeper, actionable insights for strategic decision-making.

Mercell offers advanced analytics tools that turn your tender, contract, and invoice data into practical insights. With seamless integration into leading platforms, you can simplify your procurement process, keeping a clear view of where your budget is being spent.

Whether you're tracking contract performance or looking for cost-saving opportunities, Mercell’s tools give you the information you need to manage your public spending effectively and efficiently.

A Step Forward for European Public Procurement

The launch of the PPDS marks a significant milestone in European public procurement, offering a unified platform for understanding and improving procurement practices across the continent. With plans to expand its capabilities and data coverage, the PPDS will undoubtedly play a pivotal role in shaping the future of public procurement in Europe. Stakeholders, including service providers like Mercell, are keen to contribute to and benefit from this evolving ecosystem, ensuring a fairer and more transparent public procurement landscape.

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