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Description
The main purpose of the project is to introduce the principles of circularity in the public procurement processes of public institutions. This will help introduce the concept of circular economy in the local environment and support the closing of material loops. The project is necessary to address the gaps related to initial investment in setting up a circular public procurement model, to launch demos; to establish an Innovation center; and to transfer knowledge and experiences regarding circular procurement between Norway and Slovenia.
The project objective is therefore to develop a circular business model for local public institutions, which in turn enables the purchase of products that envelop the increased use of locally sourced naturally renewable materials; the use of secondary resources; and the recycling of products. Being pursued as an overall objective is also the transfer of knowledge between the NORD University in Norway and Slovenian partners.
The role and added value of the project partners in the established cross-sectoral partnership is as follows: Municipalitv of Novo mesto - promotion and start-up of circular economy in the local environment; NORD University - analysis, transfer of knowledge and experience between Norway and Slovenia: Faculty of Industrial Engineering - analysis and transfer of knowledge and technologies of the best industrial practices, Development center - analysis and transfer of knowledge and experience in SME, Innovation center; Social enterprise KNOF - knowledge, experience, and skills in the production of sustainable products from waste materials; and Public utility company - knowledge and experience in the field of waste collection.
Summary of project results
The NovIKroG project addressed the issue of closing material local loops to promote the circular economy in the local communities. For this end we investigate opportunities to reuse or recycle materials, products and services that have their origin in the local environment and can be reused in the local environment. We were researching for materials and products that can be recycled several times in their life cycle –from door to table, from table to fence and so on. The substance, in this case plastic or wood, circulates through several life cycles and reduces transport costs, the consumption of new materials and energy, thereby significantly reducing the burden on the environment. Projects focus was also how to accelerate circular economy from the point of view of public organizations and public administrations as we see them as important stakeholder of circular economy from the perspective of public procurement.
As part of the project, we first analysed material flows in Novo Mesto and neighbouring municipalities in several phases, as well as the suitability of individual areas of public procurement for circular public procurement. As promoters of the circular economy, our goal was to bring the circular economy from theory to practice -into concrete circular or green public procurement.
To demonstrate possible material flows, we conducted two pilot demonstrators of local material loops in the field of plastics and furniture and successfully presented them to the public. Schools, educational institutions, and public administrations took part in the process as we engaged them to participate in collecting of materials and as a receiver of the end circular products. In this way, we made the younger generations and other target public aware of circular principles and taught them about the circular economy.
As part of the project, we designed a series of tools for the development of circular public procurement -a matrix of competences that offers insight into the requirements necessary for the effective management of human resources in achieving the goals oft he circular economy and in the transition to a circularly oriented society; the scheme of the procedure for the preparation of public procurement, which we designed with the aim of making it easier for public contracting authorities to understand and carry out important steps in the procurement process; the KrozRACI tool, through which we identify internal and external groups of stakeholders participating in circular public procurement, as well as a series of other samples for learning the implementation of circular public procurement.
At the same time, within the framework of the Novo mesto Development Center, we established a circular innovation centre that connects stakeholders from the fields of research, economy, and local self-government -as a meeting point for a common vision of circular life. We see the circular economy as an opportunity to develop a new segment of business, as it is already observed in some other European countries and globally. The circular innovation centre is aimed at helping the economy as well as public institutions, as our aim is to transfer as much knowledge as possible from the field of circular public procurement to interested stakeholders, primarily the local community.
The project achieved the following important effects within the target groups:
Local communities -promotion of circular public procurement in the segment of public procurement of small value by preparing the structure and model circular public procurement. Awareness of the importance of circular public procurement and the general increase of competences in this area.
Schools, youth, and children -raising awareness and demonstrating circular concepts on real examples in which children and youth could directly participate and learn about the entire logic and operation of local material loops.
Professional public -raising understanding and sharing knowledge about circular concepts that connect public clients and the economy in the process of circular public procurement by finding relevant and feasible local material loops that are suitable for connecting both sides of the circle.
General public -raising awareness of the importance of circular economy and circular thinking in all segments of life and development of society.
Companies and organizations to support companies -getting to know the concepts of the circular economy, which in Slovenia is generally not understood as a business opportunity for innovative companies and help in understanding the process of circular public procurement, of which they are a direct part.
Summary of bilateral results
NORD University proved to be an extremely competent donor project partner in the project, as it has a rich background in research and cooperation in the development of the circular economy and related concepts. Location in the donor country, which is already a forerunner in the development of the circular economy, proved to be crucial in the transfer of knowledge, experience, good practices and competence models from Norwegian examples. This took place both during the project activities, where NORD actively participated and, in some cases, led individual sections, as well as through a visit to Norway and organizations operating there that engage in circular economy processes. Due to all the mentioned facts, the cooperation of the donor project partner in the project was invaluable and significantly enriched the project through the transfer of professional knowledge and the exchange of experiences.NORD University led development of key components contributing to the outputs of the project, including the CPP process model, KrozRaci, competence matrix, self-evaluation test, exemplar CPP, and others. These tools, openly shared and interconnected, offer a comprehensive framework for advancing circular procurement practices and can be used as in Slovenia as wider EU context. We understand many of the tools developed are universal to that extent, that they are usable in wider context, not just for Slovenian examples. Also, NORD participated at the NovIKroG expert events, organized by another project partner (FINI) –international expert conferences for proliferation of the concepts and exchange of knowledge.We maintained contacts with representatives of NORD University after the completion of the project due to our resolution that we will try to find additional opportunities for future cooperation on green, digital, and circular development. There is a clear intention to upgrade and further develop models and outcomes of the NovIKroG project in the areas that proved most interesting during the project, and we have mutual understanding that there is a willingness from both sides to cooperate again.