Interoperable Europe logo

Recommendation 5

Recommendation 5: Use a standards-based approach in the procurement of location data and related services in line with broader ICT standards-based procurement

Implementation guidance Related information

help
Why

 

  • It is important to have a transparent and uniform procurement approach to ensure fully effective competition following procurement best practices.
  • Suppliers should be given a clear steer on what is needed from them and how they will be evaluated. This will result in more relevant proposals and reduce the risk of delivery failure / change requests.
  • Legal requirements (e.g. INSPIRE, ITS) need to be followed.
  • Such an approach avoids additional burdens or unnecessary expenditure in re‑inventing the wheel or re-working solutions.
  • Electronic procurement makes for more effective procurement processes.

[Top]

How
How

 

Procurement process

  • Apply the procurement rules specified in the EU Directives on Public Procurement
    • Directive 2014/23/EU on the award of concession contracts;
    • Directive 2014/24/EU on public procurement;
    • Directive 2014/25 EU on procurement by entities operating in the water, energy, transport and postal service sectors.
  • Use electronic procurement processes and tools for more effective management of the procurement process, including pan-European e-procurement tools, such as e‑PRIOR, the European Single Procurement Document (ESPD) Service and e‑CERTIS.
  • Ensure location assets being procured are interoperable and reusable and that ownership of these assets is clear.
  • Ensure procurement includes relevant geospatial skills as well as data or software solutions.
  • Include these location-specific requirements in the selection/evaluation criteria.
  • Apply procurement methods that allow piloting of new technologies and promote the involvement of, and collaboration, between multiple parties.

Standards-based references

  • Make appropriate references to INSPIRE and other relevant standards (e.g. thematic standards) in procurement documents.
  • If the standards landscape for a particular application is complex or not entirely clear, ask bidders for their understanding and proposals on relevant standards (responses can be validated by relevant experts).
  • When referring to INSPIRE:
    • Refer to the INSPIRE Directive, its Implementing Rules and Guidelines in a precise way;
    • Refer to INSPIRE as a method for data specification development or apply some of the technical specifications of INSPIRE, even if certain activities covered by the Call for Tender do not – strictly speaking – relate to INSPIRE;
    • For geoportals or data portals accessing location data, reference may be made to the use of INSPIRE data and services but not to any INSPIRE requirements for geoportals (they do not exist). To say “the geoportal should be compliant with the INSPIRE Directive” does not make sense;
    • Clarify the terminology used in the procurement documents and how it relates to the terminology used in INSPIRE;
    • Refer whenever possible to existing architecture documents describing the National/sub-National SDI, INSPIRE or digital public service architecture in which the requested components fit;
    • Allow room for flexibility by not only referring to standards and specifications that are already adopted, but also to ongoing work.
  • When including conformity requirements:
    • Be clear about which outputs/products of the procurement should/must be conformant/compliant with which specification/standard;
    • Require testing of the outputs/products on conformity/compliancy as part of the procurement.
  • When referring to international standards:
    • Be as complete and precise as possible when referring to International standards;
    • If necessary, refer to a series of standards that go together, rather than to individual standards.
  • When mentioning required skills and tasks to be executed:
    • Be as complete and precise as possible about the personnel required to perform the contract, both in terms of numbers and skills (qualification requirements) and about the goods, services, works to be provided;
    • Make use of common vocabularies of skills, knowledge, actors and tasks, such as the vocabularies on the INSPIRE in Practice platform.
  • If necessary, employ INSPIRE/standards specialists in the procurement or follow-on implementation to ensure appropriate standards-based approaches are followed.
  • Check the European Catalogue of ICT Standards for Public Procurement
  • See the initiative Living in EU which supports various interoperability initiatives, such as the Minimal Interoperability Mechanisms (MIMs) – for example, the final draft of the MIMs Plus Technical Specification v4.0 includes an updated list of the Open & Agile Smart Cities (OASC) MIMs, approved by the OASC Council of Cities on 16 June 2021, and with input from JRC aligning OASC MIM7 (Geospatial information management) with the INSPIRE Directive.

[Top]

help
Challenges

  • Lack of understanding of what is relevant to specify in procurement documents on location standards / INSPIRE.
  • Supplier evidence may be lacking in early stages of INSPIRE implementation or adoption of particular standards more generally.
  • Specifying that particular standards should be followed does not guarantee that they will be followed or that solutions will be functionally or even technically proficient. Parallel functional requirements are needed in procurement. Oversight of solution delivery is needed during implementation to ensure what is promised is what is delivered.

[Top]

help
Best Practices

[Top]

Bar chart dark blue 32
LIFO Monitoring

The Location Information Framework Observatory (LIFO) monitors the implementation of EULF Blueprint recommendations in European countries. Read about the implementation of Recommendation 5 in the LIFO Country Factsheets or the LIFO European State of Play Report. Explore the results for selected countries at LIFO Interactive Dashboards - Recommendations.

[Top] 

Puzzle
Related Frameworks: European Interoperability Framework (EIF)

EIF Pillars Recommendations
Underlying Principle 5: Technological neutrality Recommendation 8: Do not impose any technological solutions on citizens, businesses and other administrations that are technology-specific or disproportionate to their real needs.
Interoperability Layer 1: Interoperability Governance Recommendation 23: Consult relevant catalogues of standards, specifications and guidelines at national and EU level, in accordance with your NIF and relevant DIFs, when procuring and developing ICT solutions.

[Top]

Puzzle
Related Frameworks: UN-GGIM Integrated Geospatial Information Framework (IGIF)

Strategic Pathway 4: Data

Documentation Elements

Implementation Guide

Appendices

Custodianship, Acquisition and Management
Actions Tools
3. Capturing and Acquiring Data  
Data Acquisition Programme

 

Strategic Pathway 6: Standards

Documentation Elements

Implementation Guide

Appendices

Standards Governance and Policy

Compliance Testing and Certification
Actions Tools
1. Direction Setting  
Standards Governance APP6.1: National Governance Model Examples
Strategic Goals  
3. Planning for Change

 
Institutional Arrangements APP6.4: Roles and Responsibilities for National Standards Governance
6. Achieving Outcomes  
Compliance  

[Top]

Marker Small 2
ELISE Resources

Type Resource Date
Guidance EULF Guidelines for public procurement of geospatial technologies 2016

[Top]

help
Further Reading

Top]

Version: EULF Blueprint v5

Report abusive content Share