Innovation prize

The Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK) 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 2022 at the BME in Eschborn:
 

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 2021 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 The manuscript must be unpublished.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 February 15th, 2024!

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").

2023

Hessen Mobil Straßen- und Verkehrsmanagement

Improvement of health protection through holistic UV protection, taking wearer acceptance into account

Stadtwerke Verkehrsgesellschaft Frankfurt am Main mbH

VGF-Vergabe-Wahlomat: Provision of a digital application for selecting the type of procedure for public procurement

2022

N-ERGIE Aktiengesellschaft

Sector coupling that can be experienced – Digitization and electrification of parking space (Smart Parking)

Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ)

Digitization of global procurement processes in an international federal company

2021

ESWE Versorgungs AG and ESWE Verkehrsgesellschaft mbH

Procurement of electric buses including the construction of the charging infrastructure and the establishment of a depot management system

2020

Hessen Mobil:

Innovative procurement of high visibility clothing

Stadt Ludwigsburg:

Development of an interdisciplinary competence centre for sustainable procurement in the city of Ludwigsburg

2019

Deutscher Wetterdienst (DWD):

Development of a hail sensor as part of an innovation partnership

To the website of the DWD.

District of Schaumburg:

Voltage stabilization systems

 

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