Report on good practices for sustainable public food procurement

Public procurement has the potential to drive transformative change in the contemporary food system. The procurement system holds great potential as a change agent toward a more sustainable food system, and it is a valuable tool to drive positive change. The work of this report has contributed to the understanding of good measures that are already being taken but also revealed several challenges that should be of focus when trying to increase the sustainability of public procurement. An overview of the challenges faced by small-scale producers aspiring to participate in public tenders is provided. These challenges collectively limit the participation of small-scale producers in public procurement. A combination of strategies can be employed, including dividing contracts into smaller lots, implementing Dynamic Purchasing Systems (DPS) for increased supplier flexibility, providing adequate resources to procurement officers, enhancing their understanding of the task at hand, and developing the local market for sustainable food procurement through education of kitchen staff to demand more fresh products in season. The establishment of local facilitators is recommended in order to implement these recommendations, as the actions are interdependent. By adopting these recommendations and embracing a holistic approach, regions and municipalities can contribute significantly to the local development of social and environmental sustainability while promoting equitable opportunities for small-scale farmers and encouraging a well-functioning and resilient local food system, as well as increasing the sustainability of our food systems.