PSS-ÖB - Strategies to deal with barriers to the implementation of ecoefficient Product-Service-Systems in Public Procurement

Status

completed

Summary

The marketing of the function of products and goods and not the marketing of the products and goods themselves is brought into the focus of a sustainable economy. The "factory of tomorrow" asks the question which function is of interest for the customer and how this function can be provided in a sustainable way. Product-Service-Systems, a set of products and services capable of jointly fulfilling the user's needs, offer possible answers to future challenges. The project in hand deals with the implementation of Product-Service-Systems in the Public Administration. The project tended to answer the following questions by means of an empiric survey:

• What is the current status of the implementation of Product-Service-Systems in Public Administration? What are examples of Good-Practice?
• Which factors support or hinder the implementation of Product-Service-Systems in Public Administration?
• Which strategies were used to overcome hindering factors in the Good-Practice-Examples that were identified in the Public Administration? Can they be generalized?

The first step of the project was to collect and analyze the basic documentation. The next step was the realization of interviews with officers responsible for public procurement and employees of companies that offer Product-Service-Systems. During these interviews, Product-Service-Systems were identified, that are well established in Public Administration (Good-Practice-Examples). The results of these interviews served to develop two questionnaires, one of them was sent to public procurers, the other one to companies. The results of the interviews and the questionnaires were used to develop strategies to overcome the hindering factors. These resulting strategies were discussed with users and providers of selected Product-Service-Systems in three round-table-meetings.

The main result of the project is the identification of factors, which support or hinder the implementation of Product-Service-Systems in the field of Public Administration. Furthermore strategies to overcome these barriers were developed:

• The Federal Government, the Government of the Provinces or certain Public Autho¬rities should develop and offer professional assistance for the implementation of Product-Service-Systems in the field of Public Administration.
• The design of budgeting should guarantee a benefit from potential financial savings for the employees of the Public Administration.
• Joint Procurement in Public Administration should be encouraged.
• In the call for tender, procurement officers should choose the criteria of the "economically most advantageous tender" and consider life cycle costing.
• The Public Administration should state clearly, who are the persons responsible for the procurement of specific products and services.
• Companies should offer intensive support during the implementation of Product-Service-Systems and inform better about the systems they offer

Project management

DIⁱⁿ Dr.in Angelika Tisch
Interuniversitäres Forschungszentrum für Technik, Arbeit und Kultur (IFZ)

Project or cooperation partner

• DIⁱⁿ Dr.in Ulrike Seebacher, Dr. Manfred Klade
  IFZ
• Mag.^a Ingrid Kaltenegger
  JOANNEUM RESEARCH
• Univ.-Doz. Andreas Windsperger, Dipl.-Ing. Richard Tuschl, Mag.^a Elisabeth Rohrschach
  Institut für Industrielle Ökologie, IIÖ

Interuniversitäres Forschungszentrum für Technik, Arbeit und Kultur (IFZ)
DIⁱⁿ Dr.in Angelika Tisch
Schlögelgasse 2, A-8010 Graz
Tel.: +43 (0) 316/813909-21
Fax: +43 (0) 316/812661-11
E-Mail: tisch@ifz.tugraz.at
Internet: www.ifz.tugraz.at