I.A.1. General Overview: Process Familiarization

Estimated Execution Time

2 weeks

Objective

To equip a small core group of initiators with a basic understanding of health innovation procurement including the frame of the concept, tools and methodologies. This includes familiarisation with the HIPAT tool for guidance and managing the project, self-assessment on how ready your organisation is to engage in this process and begin shaping a narrative that will help engage and align internal stakeholders in the next steps.

Who is Involved

Champion – an internal initiator and facilitator who recognises a need or has a mandate. Champions may come from management, clinical practice, support units like innovation, or even from attached institutions).
Project Office Department – in charge of the project management (e.g procurement, innovation, etc…) could be internal o external.

Activities / Tasks

I.A.1.1 Learn the Basics: Innovation Procurement Instruments

Understand the main demand-driven instruments used in health innovation procurement:
- Pre-Commercial Procurement (PCP): A tool to co-develop new solutions that don’t exist yet through phased R&D services.
- Public Procurement of Innovative Solutions (PPI): A tool to purchase and deploy innovative solutions that exist but are not widely adopted.
- Others: There are other ways to procure innovation, but the aforementioned are the two main used in EU-funded programmes and the ones this guide is focused in.
Explore use cases to understand through examples how other healthcare organizations went through this process (see resources).

I.A.1.2 Explore the HIPAT Process Tool

Take some time to explore the HIPAT tool to see the full process from unmet need to implementation and evaluation, sustainability and scale-up.
Note that the tool is designed to help you progress step-by-step, within the activities there are some subtasks that can help you to accomplish the activity, it’s not necessary (or realistic) to do everything at once.

I.A.1.3 Assess Your Organisation’s Readiness

Based on this initial knowledge of the instruments and process you can determine:

If you should start from the beginning
If you can skip ahead (e.g., if your need is validated and stakeholders are aligned)
What internal gaps you’ll need to address early
If you need specialist support to help you with this phase I

I.A.1.4 Start Building Your Internal Narrative

Reflect: Why is innovation procurement relevant for your organisation right now? What need or opportunity is driving this?
Begin drafting a short internal message or talking points to explain:
- What innovation procurement is?
- How it differs from traditional procurement or research?
- Why your organisation should consider it?
- What the next steps will be?
This narrative will be used in the next step to engage the right internal stakeholders.

Tips / Common Pitfalls

✅ Do take time to craft a tailored message to engage your stakeholders in the next steps

✅ Ask questions or contact for support if you’re unclear

✅ Prepare a list of briefs of relevant and successful examples which could support your proposal, examples are easier to understand

❌ Don’t involve everyone too early, it can cause confusion before there’s a clear path

Outcome / Deliverables

Draft or summary of the basics of PCP and PPI
HIPAT tool structure familiarized

Resources

All about PCP and PPI in Healthcare Examples EU Healthcare PCP and PPI

Need expert support for this step?

Browse Experts

Browse our directory of experts who can provide professional guidance.

Set the Scene