Practice Abstract - Research and innovation

Market dialogue for Farm to Fork public food procurement

Market dialogue is crucial to ensure contracting authorities get the products & services that best meet their needs & comply with the criteria set out in their procurement policy. 
 
Through this process, public authorities can obtain new knowledge & a clear understanding of new, innovative & sustainable solutions & products available on the local & regional market.
 
The EU procurement rules do not prevent a market dialogue with suppliers to happen before the publication of the tender, but this process must not lead to a competitive advantage for individual or specific economic operators & must be carried out in compliance with the principles of equal treatment, non-discrimination & transparency.
 
For instance, the Municipality of Copenhagen relies on a collaborative approach between public officials, professional catering & food service staff, wholesalers & growers to design public food tenders. Before developing the tender, the City of Copenhagen invests time & effort in a comprehensive market analysis, organising extensive market dialogue with potential suppliers. The last step of the market dialogue process consists of a ‘market monologue meeting’ to deliver an in-depth understanding of the final tender documents & addressing questions about the draft tender. The meeting is recorded & published to help potential tenderers offer their products.
 
The market dialogue model in the Legal Guide on Farm to Fork procurement is a description of the 11-step process that can be used when involving the market in a tender. Some of these steps are part of the actual tendering process, under the EU public procurement Directive & are therefore mandatory steps.
 
Source Project
COACH Collaborative Agri-food Chains: Driving Innovation in Territorial Food Systems and Improving Outcomes for Producers and Consumers
Completed | 2020-2023
Main funding source
Horizon 2020 (EU Research and Innovation Programme)
Geographical location
United Kingdom
Project details

Project Keywords