National public procurement data repository
The project’s goal is to establish a national data repository of public procurement data. The data repository will collect data from the public sector on public procurement and purchases covering the whole procurement lifecycle in a form that can be combined and compared. The project will also prepare the necessary legislative amendments under the lead of the Ministry of Finance.
The project is based on the Programme of Prime Minister Petteri Orpo’s Government and it aims to improve the efficiency of public procurement, promote knowledge-based decision-making and reduce the costs of public procurement over the long term. The project’s term is 17 January 2025–1 May 2027 and it is part of the ProcurFinland Programme’s action plan.
Building on an assessment memorandum
During 2023–2024, the Ministry of Finance prepared a memorandum assessing the establishment of a national procurement data repository and the publication of purchase invoice informationLink to an external websiteOpens in a new tab. An extensive stakeholder engagement process was launched to define measures to implement the objectives of the Government Programme and to resolve the challenges identified in efforts to develop public procurement on the national level. These measures are presented in the memorandum.
The memorandum describes options for implementing a national data repository with respect to content, technical implementation and scheduling. The memorandum also describes the key legislative and technical measures that will be required to build, maintain and develop a centralised data repository.
The memorandum was circulated for comments between 20 June and 15 September 2024, and the feedback from these comments will be extensively applied in the project. Read more in the Gateway to Information on Government Projects.
Project tasks
The project will carry out the following tasks:
1. Implementing the objectives of the Government Programme concerning procurement data based on the assessment memorandum and preparing the necessary legislative amendments in the form of a government proposal.
2. Establishing the repository of procurement data required to meet the objectives and implementing the necessary modifications to other shared general government information systems. This work will take advantage of opportunities to use existing information systems and services and the information available through them.
3. Ensuring a successful transition through sufficient transition support, communications and training for contracting entities, tenderers and other parties.
Extensive stakeholder participation
The Ministry of Finance is responsible for the strategic management of the project and for preparing the legislative amendments. The State Treasury is responsible for the specification, implementation and adoption of the national public procurement data repository. The State Treasury will implement a data collection system and public service that will provide comprehensive, comparable and understandable information on tendering processes and actual purchases.
The Ministry of Finance and the State Treasury will be jointly responsible for managing the transition in the public sector. Contracting entities, tenderers, interest groups, information system suppliers, researchers and other stakeholders will be included in the preparatory work of the project.
Project benefits
Government organisations purchase goods and services with a total of EUR 37.6 billion each year. Researchers have estimated that there is an annual savings potential of EUR 780 million in public procurement.
The national repository of procurement data will provide the first open view of spending on procurement. It will also provide information on purchases that have not been subject to public tenders, which amount to approximately EUR 15 billion each year. The data repository will also include purchases from in-house entities.
The reform will enable municipal residents to examine what their municipality has purchased. Companies will be able to identify fields where there is little competition. Contracting entities will be able to use the data to develop the quality and efficiency of their own procurement processes. The data repository will improve the comparability of financial data from municipalities and counties.
Contracting entities currently monitor procurement data independently and have varying practices. The data repository would add to reporting obligations, but automation and further development of information systems could reduce the amount of additional work. Most of the data already exists in various systems.
The processing of data would comply with the principles of the Act on the Openness of Government Activities. Non-disclosable information would only be available to parties with a statutory right to access it. Public or private interests safeguarded by grounds for non-disclosure would be protected. Such interests could involve national security, business secrets or personal data.
Basic project information and documents (Gateway to Information on Government Projects) (in Finnish)
Contact information
Ministerial Adviser
Susan Hindström
Tel. +358 2955 30076
firstname.lastname@gov.fi
Ministerial Adviser
Virpi Mustonen
Tel. +358 2955 30052
firstname.lastname@gov.fi