The Bilbao Agenda - Health sector procurement

This Agenda and the others that follow it, provide a practical response to the 'health equals wealth' challenge first set out at the European Health Policy Forum in October 2003.The Bilbao Agenda puts forward a range of procurement policy actions for localities, regions, and the European Commission. The Agenda has been shaped by the practical experiences, evidence and insights generated by regions from across the EU and beyond who are partners in Health ClusterNET.

A key element to the success of the Bilbao Agenda will be the creation of 'enlightened' public purchasers, who with the right communication tools could fairly help to develop the capabilities of businesses wishing to compete for health sector contracts.

Aims of the agenda

1. To enable regional health systems to more positively engage with regional development through procurement practices that contribute to dynamic local enterprise cultures. 
2. To redefine 'value for money' (or national equivalent term¹) to include outcomes that connect public sector procurement to the achievement of regional development priorities.
3. To reshape public procurement practice with and by regional health systems so that it contributes to the revised concept of 'value for money'.

¹ Other words used across partner regions that are equivalent to 'value for money' are: best value, total economic benefit, best offer.