Marco Aurelio Pérez, mayor of San Bartolomé de Tirajana, highlights the need for public administrations to promote social and environmental responsibility in the contracting of products and services “as a key element for the inclusion of people in vulnerable situations”
Alexis Moreno, Councilor for Economy and Finance, “this is one of the first steps for training in contracting, to which is added the government agreement adopted in the November plenary session to allocate an economic allocation to Responsible Public Procurement ( CPR). Now we have to train to be able to carry it out.”
The mayor of San Bartolomé de Tirajana, Marco Aurelio Pérez, inaugurated today at the Maspalomas Cultural Center the Conference on the Promotion of Responsible Public Procurement organized by the City Council, in collaboration with the Observatory of Responsible Public Procurement of the Canary Islands, in which more than 200 registrations have been made, from personnel from public administrations throughout Gran Canaria.
Pérez highlighted “the important training opportunity that these days represent for those who work in the public sector because, beyond seeking effectiveness or efficiency, we must focus on guaranteeing social and environmental responsibility as a key element for the inclusion of people and groups in a situation of vulnerability through public policies and that this radiates in society.”
For her part, the general director of Social Services and Immigration, Elisabet Santana, pointed out that "we are facing a unique opportunity to give our contracting a more social and environmental nature, and to do so at no additional cost. In fact, the bidding and execution of this type of contracts also translates into less pressure on social services and in improving people's lives through access to employment, putting people who are in a vulnerable situation at the center."
Alexis Moreno, Councilor for Economy and Finance of San Bartolomé de Tirajana highlighted “the interest shown by public personnel from all over the Island in training in this matter, given the important response to today's call,” and thanked the service for its work. of Municipal Procurement and the Public Procurement Observatory Responsible for the organization of these sessions. He assured that “this is one of the first steps that we are going to take for training in contracting, to which is added the government agreement that we adopted in the municipal plenary session last November to allocate an economic allocation to Contracting this year. Responsible Public Service (CPR). Now we have to train to be able to carry it out.”
Throughout these in-person sessions, expert speakers will address in depth the reservation of contracts for social companies and the inclusion of social and environmental clauses in the tenders of the Public Administrations of the Canary Islands, in compliance with the provisions of the Law of Public Sector Contracts 9/2017.
Jaime Pintos, doctor of Law and expert in Public Procurement, spoke about key issues linked to the CPR, the contracting modalities to which it can be applied, difficulties and opportunities in public processes aimed at promoting Responsible Public Procurement. Likewise, Javier Mendoza, doctor in Economics and expert in Responsible Public Procurement, addressed the reservation of contracts, concepts and developments.
The social enterprises (insertion companies and special employment centers of social initiative) also had space to explain their operation, services they provide and areas in which they can participate in public tenders. In addition, there was an opportunity for Samuel García, technician of the Observatory, will explain the resources that exist in the Canary Islands through this organization to promote CPR, and some good practices were presented by public sector personnel who already have experience in bidding, awarding and executing tenders reserved for social companies.
The lack of knowledge that still exists around social enterprises, the services they provide and the need for training that is constantly expressed by technical personnel in the public sector, means that the implementation of these powerful social policies is still of little significance in the Canary Islands. It should be noted that, to date, only 15% of the Canary Islands administrations have reserved and awarded contracts or batches of contracts to social companies, which represents only 10 town councils, out of a total of 88, and four councils.
For this reason, the Responsible Public Procurement Observatory collaborates with public administrations such as San Bartolomé de Tirajana, not only in the organization of conferences, courses or professional meetings, but also through direct advice to public procurement technical teams, social companies. and political leaders who request these services.
The Observatory of Responsible Public Procurement of the Canary Islands is an initiative of the Anagos Network, supporters ADEICAN y EAPN Canary Islands, and which finances the Department of Social Welfare, Equality, Youth, Children and Families of the Government of the Canary Islands.
