Social Services Europe (SSE) welcomes the opportunity to contribute to the European Commission’s Impact Assessment of the Public Procurement Directives. Building on our experience representing over 200,000 non-profit social and health service providers across Europe, we wish to highlight the challenges faced by social service providers under the current Directive 2014/24/EU and propose revisions to strengthen its impact.
In our submission, we provide a detailed analysis of key issues, including the underuse of the Most Economically Advantageous Tender (MEAT) criteria, restrictive conditions on reserved contracts, limited recognition of alternative procurement models, and the inconsistent application of accessibility and social clauses. We also suggest practical measures to support contracting authorities, such as guidance and training, to ensure socially responsible procurement is effectively implemented.
Ultimately, SSE aims to ensure that revisions to the Public Procurement Directive promote high-quality, inclusive, and sustainable social services across the EU, while strengthening the role of non-profit providers and the social economy.
Please read SSE's proposals here.