- Funding Programme
- Year
- 2022
Strategy for the digital transformation of public procurement
Ireland is developing a national digital transformation strategy for public procurement, supported by EU funding, to enhance efficiency, user-centricity, and data-driven decision-making across all procurement phases. Led by the Office of Government Procurement, the strategy aims to modernise processes, foster interoperability, and align with broader Irish and EU digital agendas.
Context
Ireland has made significant progress in digitalising public procurement, particularly in the tendering phase, supported by a strong policy framework. However, gaps remained in the pre- and post-tender phases and in the use of data for strategic decision-making. The project addressed these challenges by developing a comprehensive digital transformation strategy aligned with EU priorities, including the Digital Decade, the Recovery and Resilience Facility, and the Green and Digital Transformation agenda. It aimed to increase efficiency, transparency, and strategic use of procurement. Key challenges include ensuring interoperability, user involvement, and integration with broader government digital initiatives.
Support delivered
The project, funded under the Technical Support Instrument (TSI), was implemented by the OECD in cooperation with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform of Ireland. Running from 2023 to 2024, the support included analytical reports, stakeholder workshops, and guidance documents to develop a strategic roadmap for the digital transformation of public procurement. Activities took place at national level and aimed to establish a cohesive, interoperable, and user-centric procurement system aligned with EU digitalisation objectives. The strategy seeks to enhance efficiency and improve access—particularly for SMEs—across the entire procurement cycle.
Results achieved
The project led to the development of a strategic roadmap and common framework for the digital transformation of public procurement in Ireland. It fostered alignment across sectors, promoted interoperability, and supported a user-centric and data-driven procurement system. Benefits include enhanced efficiency, better access to opportunities—especially for SMEs—and stronger evidence-based decision-making. The strategy is expected to improve transparency, support policy goals through procurement, and enable a more agile, modern public sector aligned with Ireland’s broader digital and EU priorities.
More about the project
You can read the documents related to the project here: