Delivering more efficient and higher quality public services, and supporting research and innovation from the demand side are nowadays among the cornerstones of the EU public policy and a priority of the Europe 2020 Strategy for growth and competitiveness: at this regard, a new and powerful instrument at disposal of the contracting authorities appears to be the pre-commercial procurement, by which the public sector can acquire R&D services as well as innovative prototypes suitable for commercialisation, and at the same time stimulate private companies in carrying out industrial research and experimental development on sectors of public relevance. Thanks to the EU cohesion policy funds and to a European programme of territorial cooperation, the Italian Region Aosta Valley has undertaken a pioneering experience with the adoption of the pre-commercial public procurement, in order to stimulate research and innovation. This pilot action has mobilised remarkable private investments in R&D, has made possible the design, development, prototyping and experimentation in real life conditions of new products and services in technological domains addressing relevant societal challenges, and has showed the potential contribution of the pre-commercial public procurement for the delivery of better, more efficient and higher quality public services, as well as for modern, demand-side public policies supporting research, innovation and SMEs.
Keywords: Pre-Commercial Public Procurement; Research and Innovation.