Innovation prize

The BMWi and the BME are jointly holding the "Innovation schafft Vorsprung" ("Innovation creates a lead") prize. The aim is to recognise top performances among public-sector contracting authorities in the procurement of innovative products and the design of innovative procurement processes.

Take the chance and apply for the BME-Prize „Innovation schafft Vorsprung“. We answer your questions about the whole submission process!

Award ceremony 2018 at the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy:

Process

The independent jury evaluates the incoming manuscripts and nominates the best concepts. The applicants with the most innovative solutions are invited to a presentation in Frankfurt. The jury then determines the winner from this group.

BMWi and BME will hold the prize-giving at the "Contracting Authorities Day" in February 2020 in Berlin. The meeting has become a leading event in the public sector.

Rules of participation

Those eligible to apply for the BMWi/BME "Innovation schafft Vorsprung" (Innovation creates a lead) prize are administrative authorities at national, state and local level and also public companies and institutions. Manuscripts on either innovative procurement processes or procuring innovations are accepted.

The work must be produced in German and be no more than 20 pages. The manuscript must be unpublished. Those submitting an entry agree to their manuscript being printed or re-used after consultation.

Deadline for submissions is October 11, 2019!

The work must be submitted as a printable PDF stating the institution, the author responsible and the full address and should be e-mailed to: bianka.blankenberg(at)bme.de 

Submission of concepts on innovative procurement processes:

The submitted concept must be put into practice and contribute in the long term towards the optimisation and increased efficiency of procurement processes. It should set itself apart through its ability to be applied to other comparable institutions or organisations within the public sector (e.g. municipal authorities, hospitals, municipal services).

Submission of concepts on procuring innovations: 

The practical application of procured innovative products, procedures or services was able to effect a considerable improvement in productivity and efficiency, from a financial, process and/or environmental perspective.  

Recourse to legal action is excluded.

For the initiators, the introduction of innovations, especially at the beginning of the project, often involves a great deal of time and personnel. The fact that this commitment is also economically viable is shown by the examples of previous winners in the competition "Innovation creates a lead". In recognition of the specific challenges involved in driving innovation in public institutions, the winners of the competition will each receive a voucher for consulting services worth € 10,000 (€ 10,000 for the category "Procurement of Innovation" and € 10,000 for the "Innovation Procurement" category) Category "Innovative Procurement Processes").
Previous winning concepts (excerpt)

•     Permanent implementation of electric vehicles in a police vehicle fleet
•     Development of a system-integrated platform for the discounting of supplier invoices
•     Replacement of cleaning and disinfection equipment through performance contracting

All winners can be found here.

• Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi) Wolfgang Crasemann, Head of Unit Fundamental issues of national and international innovation and technology policy
• Bundesverband Materials Management, Purchasing and Logistics e.V. (BME) Silvius Grobosch, Member of the Executive Federal Board, Matthias Berg, Head of KOINNO
• Hesse Ministry of Economics, Transport and Regional Development Stefan Müller, Department of Architectural, Trade, Crafts, Engineering, Public Procurement
• German Association of Cities Barbara Meißner, Head of Department Environment and Economics
• University of the Federal Armed Forces Munich Prof. Dr. med. Michael Eßig, Director of the Research Center for Law and Public Procurement Management
• Behörden Spiegel Jörn Fieseler, Editor
• Agency for Renewable Resources e.V. (FNR) Monika Missalla-Steinmann, Public Relations Officer

2018

Berliner Stadtreinigung (BSR):

• Generation of sustainable success by means of innovative partnership cost optimization in the competitive dialogue using waste and recycling containers as an example
• Increase the efficiency and performance of strategic purchasing through the automated provision of individual operational and strategic reports via a dashboard system

2017

Duisburger Versorgungs- und Verkehrsgesellschaft mbH (DVV):

• Strengthening supplier relationships through a system-integrated platform for the dynamic discounting of supplier invoices

Polizei Sachsen:

• EmoPol - Electromobility of the police in Saxony

Landschaftsverband Westfalen-Lippe (LWL):

• Concept for the preferential consideration of integration companies in contract awards

2016

Spital STS AG:

• Replacement of cleaning and disinfection equipment through performance contracting

Stadt Karlsruhe:

• Naturally insulate with Posidonia fibers

Landeshauptstadt Dresden:

• Introduction of the eVergabe in the state capital Dresden

2015

Dataport AöR:

• Development of social criteria in the context of hardware procurement

KfW Bankengruppe:

• Professionalization of procurement in the public sector using the example of KfW Bank

2013

Stadt Detmold:

• Reduction of environmental and health impacts in road traffic through the use of innovative building materials

Universitätsklinikum Bonn AöR:

• Investment planning at the University Hospital Bonn: savings through standardization and bundling of investment requirements

2012

Landkreis Leer Abfallwirtschaftsbetrieb:

• Award procedure for environmentally friendly waste paper disposal in the district of Leer

2011

Klinik Logistik Eppendorf GmbH:

• Implementation of a just-in-time supply with IT integration at the University Hospital Hamburg Eppendorf

Kreisausschuss des Schwalm-Eder-Kreises:

• Inexpensive to new roads

2010

Wasser- und Schifffahrtsverwaltung des Bundes:

• Lock remote control in the Water and Shipping Directorate South and modern environmentally friendly hydraulic compact drives

2009

Kreis Offenbach:

• Procurement and logistics management for clothing of the volunteer fire departments in the Offenbach district