Support on offer to help UK councils ‘buy innovation’  

UK innovation accelerator Connected Places Catapult has announced that applications are open for local authorities to participate in a support programme focused on innovation procurement – that is, using their spending power in a way that supports new, innovative ideas.

Through the Innovation Procurement Empowerment Centre (IPEC) initiative, up to five local authorities are being offered fully funded and tailored innovation procurement support.

The programme will cover key areas which councils need to consider when approaching procurement differently as well as common challenges they face.

Topics will range from design thinking and market scouting and shaping to running trials, managing change and designing the right procurement processes to help take innovative ideas from the market and successfully scale them.

In addition, the support will consider issues such as how to improve stakeholder relations, SME engagement approaches, ways to overcome organisational and strategic problems, and risk management techniques.

Purchasing power

IPEC is headed by newly appointed Rikesh Shah, who was previously Head of Open Innovation at Transport for London.

Rikesh Shah, Head of the Innovation Procurement Empowerment Centre, said: “UK local government procurement accounts for £60 billion of spending each year. Local authorities have a huge opportunity to use this purchasing power to support new and innovative ideas in their regions. By bringing in new ideas from the diverse range of innovators from start-ups, SMEs, scale-ups, academia, corporates and others, it will enable local authorities to deliver faster, better and cheaper outcomes and create new value.

“IPEC will help raise local authorities’ confidence and abilities, providing proactive support throughout a live end-to-end procurement process.”

Local authorities have until 15 December to register their interest in the programme.