The second meeting of the market consultation for the pre-commercial public procurement (PCP) initiative “Measuring Business Impact” is about to begin. The project is promoted by the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS) in collaboration with the Italian Digital Agency (AgID).
AICS and AgID are working on an innovative call for proposals aimed at helping Italian companies and start-ups develop technologies that can generate a positive impact in partner countries. Before the official launch, they are conducting a market listening phase involving businesses, researchers, organizations, and anyone interested in how technology can foster development and inclusion.
Following the online event held on September 18, which brought together over 500 economic operators, the next session is scheduled for November 6 at 10:00 a.m. This fully online meeting will include a technical in-depth session to collect more specific feedback from the market and encourage the creation of innovative partnerships.
The Challenge
The challenge launched by AICS and AgID is a pre-commercial procurement (PCP) process — a public call for the development and testing of new technological and entrepreneurial solutions before they reach the market.
The goal is to identify ideas capable of fostering economic growth, decent work, and social inclusion, while fully respecting human rights, the principles of the UN Global Compact, and the Kampala Guidelines.
The call has a total budget of €50 million and will be structured into up to three phases, depending on the outcomes of the market consultation. At the end of the process, the selected solutions will be implemented in Italian Cooperation partner countries, with particular focus on Africa.
The initiative falls within the framework of the quadrilateral agreement between MAECI (Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation), AICS, DTD (Department for Digital Transformation), and AgID, and is promoted as part of “Smarter Italy” — the national program that leverages public procurement as a driver for innovation and competitiveness.
How to Participate
Eligible participants include for-profit entities under Article 27 of Law 125/2014, as well as universities, research centers, and civil society organizations, both Italian and European, along with entities active in Italian Cooperation target countries.
To participate in the November 6 event, simply register online by completing the registration form. More information about the initiative is available on the challenge page of the website Appaltinnovativi.gov.it.