GOOSE - Generating international public procurement opportunities for European SMEs

The main objective of the project is to help European SMEs to access public procurement opportunities in selected third countries. GOOSE aims at fitting the gap that separates European SME, and their associated long range of solutions and technology, to the potential demand from public institutions in the targeted third country. 

During the life of the project, the project consortium will offer expert strategies, tools, advice, and guidance to help European SMEs build the capacity, capability, and knowledge so that they can compete for public procurement opportunities worldwide, particularly in the six target countries. 

The project has a budget of more than half a million euros and is co-financed by the European Union under the COSME program. In addition to Catalan Agency for Business Competitiveness (ACCIÓ), which coordinates the consortium, the Estonian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ECCI), Flanders Investment & Trade (FIT) and the Slovenian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCIS) also participate. 

In a first phase of the project, which will last a year, the internationalization strategy will be designed with an action plan. In the second phase of implementation, training sessions, joint missions abroad, networking days and a mentoring service will be organized for local consultants from each country to advise European companies, among other actions. In addition, a virtual platform will be created to share specific opportunities in these countries and encourage companies from Catalonia, Flanders, Estonia, and Slovenia to submit joint tenders to public tenders. 

Specifically, the opportunities of international public tenders in Chile, Colombia, Norway, Serbia, Japan, and Vietnam in the sectors of the green economy, ICT, smart cities, and smart health will be worked on. 

Project goals:  

  • To enhance the capacity of Business support organizations (BSO) 
  • To strengthen cooperation between European BSO and institutions and those from third countries 
  • To deliver three levels of services to help overcome invisible barriers to SMEs of 4 target sectors 
  • To organize meet the buyers and meet the partner events in 4 of the 6 six targeted markets: Japan, Norway, Serbia, Chile, Colombia, and Vietnam 
  • To integrate the internationalization strategy developed by the Consortium alongside the internationalization of each respective EU country 

Project activities: 

  • Joint internationalisation strategy 
  • Organization of both face-to-face and virtual match-making events: B2Bs and B2Ps 
  • Training webinars and advisory services to SMEs 
  • Organization of company missions in the target countries 
  • Assistance for bidding to specific calls for tenders outside the EU 

Funding programme: Competitiveness of Enterprises and Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (COSME) 

Duration: 1st June 2021-31st May 2024 

Budget: 533 075 € 
 

Project partners:  

  • Agència per a la Competitivitat de l’Empresa (ACCIÓ), Spain 
  • Estonian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ECCI), Estonia  
  • Flanders Invest & Trade (FIT), Belgium  
  • Croatian Employers Federation (CCIS), Croatia

Project website: www.projectgoose.eu

Additional info: Merit Fimberg-Espuch, Piret Potisepp

 

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