Innovation Procurement Empowerment Centre (IPEC)
Public procurement represents a powerful yet underutilised lever for governments to drive innovation and address complex societal challenges.
The Innovation Procurement Empowerment Centre () was launched in 2023 by the as a major step forward in support for the public sector to unlock the value of procurement-powered innovation.
In partnership with CPC, City-REDI at the University Â鶹¾«Ñ¡ and the University of Manchester formed a research consortium to collaborate on public procurement research as a driver of innovation. Our research consortium is now integrated as part of which aims to deepen understanding of the effectiveness of innovation procurement in driving innovation for better public services while boosting economic growth.
Objectives
Objectives
The City-REDI’s IPEC Research team focuses on place-based innovation through public procurement by identifying solutions to societal and environmental challenges and facilitating evidence-based policy approaches. By working with IPEC Research and its regional and Local Authorities' network, we aim to share evidence and insights to enhance local decision-making and disseminate good practices.
Outputs
Outputs
Our ongoing work includes:
- Anchor Institutions and power of procurement – in collaboration with
This strand of work focuses on the processes of cultural change that enable public procurement and create the innovation ecosystem at the local level to help facilitate public procurement and drive innovation, with particular focus on 'Anchor Institutions', social enterprises and SMEs.
Conrad Parke, from the Centre for Local Economic Strategies (CLES), examines both theoretical and applied aspects of Practicing Innovation in Public Sector Procurement in two research briefs:
Part 1:
Part 2:
- Procurement Processes in Retrofit Housing Programmes – barriers, impacts and policy scenarios
The project currently focuses on barriers and challenges in public procurement practices within Local Authorities and Housing Associations, specifically targeting the current retrofit housing programmes in the social housing sector across the West Midlands Combined Authority. Our goal is to explore various policy scenarios for achieving net-zero retrofitting. Building on this, we will analyse the impact of the increase in demand for retrofitting on the regional economy and evaluate the skills and readiness of retrofitting labour to meet new demands.
Annum Rafique produced a research briefing in January 2025
Leveraging Public Procurement to Drive Local Innovation
Chloe Billing produced a research briefing in October 2024.
A research brief authored by Annum Rafique & Pei-Yu Yuan explores how text mining can be used to analyse procurement contracts in February 2025.
Place-based collaborative opportunities and challenges for public procurement of innovation
This research brief authored by Fumi Kitagawa in April 2025, explores how public procurement can be used strategically to address regional needs, particularly in a time of constrained public resources.
The Team
The Team
Annum Rafique (City-REDI Research Fellow)
Huanjia Ma (City-REDI Research Fellow)
James Davies (City-REDI Research Fellow)
Matt Lyon (City-REDI Research Fellow)
(CLES, Birmingham Anchor Network)
In collaboration with
Joe Sanderson & Chris Lonsdale (Birmingham Business School)
Project lead contact details:
Fumi Kitagawa (City-REDI) and
Annum Rafique (City-REDI; IPEC Research and Impact Coordinator)