The CPB Network was established in 2012 and currently comprises 21 CPBs from 20 countries across Europe (Member States of the European Union or other countries in the EEA).
It aims to provide an opportunity for national Central Purchasing Bodies (CPBs) to discuss the main issues they face in public procurement and to share experiences and best practices. Working together and developing common approaches to relevant issues helps CPBs to implement effective solutions to current and future challenges.
The Network meets twice a year, in spring and autumn. At these meetings, different organisational models are presented, and common challenges are discussed and analysed, for example in relation to strategic procurement, CPB regulation and the management of contracts and framework agreements. Furthermore, work is also underway to develop indicators for common activities that will enable comparative studies and the analysis on the functioning of organisations.
In addition to the representatives of the CPBs, officials from the European Commission also partially attend the meetings, as this institution considers the central purchasing bodies to have a strategic role in communicating and implementing EU policy in the field of public procurement.
Current Members of the CPB Network:
Objectives
The CPB Network is a collaborative network whose aim is to assist each memberin the delivery of its objectives through the sharing of information, best practices and progress on topics of mutual interest. It will use the Public Buyers Community platform to:
- Establish direct and efficient communication: will help to strenghten the network and to communicate efficently and transparently within the closed community.
- Promote information sharing: members will have direct access to information of interest and best practices and are encourage to share own relevant information.
- Facilitate collaboration: The community will work together in smaller working groups to define and deliver solutions to common challenges; this will be important to driving positive change in the operational efficiency and effectiveness of the CPB network.
Added value
- Effective collaboration will create a better public procurement landscape across Europe.
- Working together will help CPBs formulate responses to current and upcoming challenges in a more effective way.
- The exchange and collaboration will contribute to further professionalisation and specialisation in public procurement.