Page 23 - Procurement guidelines for smart sustainable cities - A U4SSC deliverable

2 Why is smart sustainable procurement important?

Efficient supply chains in the urban context are essential to support smart, accessible and sustainable
city transformations while helping to stimulate the circular economy in the urban realm. It is essential
to understand the landscape of key cross-sectoral stakeholders, along with the key digital, data and
technology service providers, who can collectively and collaboratively contribute to the transition
process.

These Guidelines define smart sustainable cities in line with Recommendation ITU-T Y.4900:

“...an innovative city that uses information and communication technologies (ICTs) and
other means to improve quality of life, the efficiency of urban operation and services, and
competitiveness, while ensuring that it meets the needs of present and future generations
concerning economic, social, environmental as well as cultural aspects.”

Smart sustainable procurement in this context therefore means:

• Mainstreaming accessible, human-centred design, data-driven and open approaches in public
procurement.

• Investing in multidisciplinary and cross-functional teams founded on honesty, transparency,
collaboration and integrity.
• Using public procurement approaches that are fit for the 21st century as a lever to achieve
inclusive, equitable and sustainable policy outcomes that have positive economic, social and
cultural and environmental impacts.

• Seizing the opportunities provided by the digital government, open data and new technologies
throughout the full public spending life cycle – from planning and informing the market, to
evaluating and awarding and managing delivery to help prevent corruption and to meet the
needs of communities sustainably.

2.1 The 2030 Agenda

The international challenges facing societies, cultures and economies – e.g., climate, health,
food, education and equality – are interrelated and increasingly complex. The 2030 Sustainable
Development Agenda provides the pathway for the current decade, and the foundations for the
decades to follow, where these foundations have been laid.

Improving procurement globally has benefits for citizens, civil servants and governments around
the world. It helps tackle corruption and improves services for users. With the global cost of
corruption being more than an estimated USD 2.6 trillion every year,(United Nations, 2018) and

with businesses and individuals paying more than USD 1 trillion in bribes every year, it also has the
potential to save vast sums of money.

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