BasicInternet:Nordic UN Procurement Seminar 2021

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BasicInternet:Nordic UN Procurement Seminar 2021

Title BasicInternet:Nordic UN Procurement Seminar 2021
Place tame
Date, Time 2021/01/25, -26Jan2021 (0900-1600)
Contact Person Verner Kristiansen
Participants Josef.Noll, Wisam Ahmed Mansour, Verner Kristiansen, Mariann Markseth Omholt
related to Project BasicInternet
Keywords UN, Procurement
this page was created by Special:FormEdit/Meeting, and can be edited by Special:FormEdit/Meeting/BasicInternet:Nordic UN Procurement Seminar 2021
Category:Meeting


Agenda 25Jan2021

09:00 - 09:15 Welcome - Verner Kristiansen

Welcome to the Nordic UN Procurement Seminar 2021!
Mr. Kristiansen will present you to the virtual seminar platform and to the program. He will provide recommendations for how to tailor the program to your interests and how you can make the most out of the business development possibilities.

09:15 - 09:30 Opening Remarks - Grete Faremo

Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director, UNOPS

09:30 - 10:25 High-Level Panel - Nordic Ministers

  • Flemming Møller Mortensen -Minister for Development Cooperation and Minister for Nordic Cooperation, Denmark
  • Ville Skinnari - Minister for Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade, Finland
  • Gudlaugur Thór Thórdarson - Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Development Cooperation, Iceland
  • Ine Eriksen Søreide - Minister for Foreign Affairs, Norway
  • Anna Hallberg - Minister for Foreign Trade and Nordic Affairs, Sweden
The United Nations is the world largest buyer of goods and services from companies in terms of volume and procured for nearly USD 20 billion in 2019. As such, the UN has the potential to set and reinforce necessary standards when it comes to sustainable procurement practices, as well as the potential to drive innovation of sustainable solutions that will ultimately support its beneficiaries, and lay the foundation for a greener and more resilient future.
The Nordics are pioneers in committing to sustainability and developing and advancing innovative technologies and solutions. Nordic collaboration is high on the agenda both politically and business wise, and the region has common interests and strongholds. This provides a robust basis for implementing the Build Back Better and Greener agenda, especially in the context of the covid-19 economic recovery. The pandemic has given new momentum and even more incentive to ensure a green economic recovery for sustainable development, while leaving no one behind.
This panel will discuss the importance of Nordic collaboration in a UN setting, especially through UN procurement. It will also highlight UN procurement elements of common interest for the Nordics, such as the importance of innovation and sustainability.

10:30 - 11:30 Tutorial

How to navigate the virtual platform and get the most out of the seminar, incl. how to book B2B meetings, watch available presentations and engage with the UNGM Kiosk.

11:30 - 12:15 PANEL: How to become succesful in selling to the UN

  • Louise Harpoth - COO, Phoenix Design Aid A/S
  • Bart Van Ouytsel - Executive Vice President, Sales and Business Development , W. Giertsen Energy Solution
  • Jan Lindholm - Head of Sales, Jetflite
  • Lena Wahlhed - Director, Alliance Development, HemoCue
Companies play a key role in assisting UN agencies in delivering on their global activities. The UN procures a broad range of goods and services every year, in 2019 the UN procurement market represented a market of almost USD 20 billion. Many Nordic companies have already found a successful way into this market and benefit from Long Term Agreements with different UN agencies.
This session will explore successful cases and key learnings from Nordic companies on how they have engaged with the UN system, what to expect and prepare for when working with UN agencies, and how more Nordic companies can take the initiative to strategically engage with the UN.

13:30 - 14:15 PANEL: Sustainability and Innovation

  • Sara Krüger Falk - Executive Director , Global Compact Network Denmark
  • Francois Buratto - Head of Food Procurement, WFP
  • Kristoffer Gandrup-Marino - Chief of innovation for UNICEF Supply Division, UNICEF
  • Markus McKay - Team Leader Sustainable Procurement Implementation Practices and Standards, UNOPS
Sustainable Procurement involves looking beyond the traditional economic parameters and making decisions based on the whole life cycle cost, the associated risks, measures of success as well as implications for society and the environment. Making these types of decisions requires new innovative approaches, new products, and setting procurement into a broader strategic context.
In addition to the key principle of best value for money, the UN requires its vendors to accept and comply with the UN Supplier Code of Conduct. They also strongly encourage all suppliers to actively participate in the UN Global Compact, adhere to the values of the UN Charter and the principles concerning International Labour Standards from the International Labour Organization (ILO).
This session will present initiatives from various UN agencies for fostering an increasing focus on sustainable procurement and innovative solutions, covering issues such as the life cycle of products, and environmental and socioeconomic factors.
BasicInternet remark: Focus on integrated approaches that foster cross-sectoral empowerment, e.g. the free access to information on the Internet

14:30 - 15:15 WORKSHOP: Renewable Energy

  • Gregory Soneff - Procurement Specialist & Team Lead – Health, Renewable Energy & Crisis Procurement, UNDP
  • Kristof Choinski - Procurement Advisor, UNOPS
  • Tareq Emtairah - Director of the Department of Energy, UNIDO
A well-established energy system supports all sectors: from businesses, medicine and education to agriculture, infrastructure, communications, and high technology. The world is making progress towards Sustainable Development Goal 7 ‘Affordable and Clean Energy’, with encouraging signs that energy is becoming more sustainable and widely available.
However, 789 million people around the world – 548 million people in Sub-Saharan Africa alone, still lack access to electricity. Without electricity, women and girls must spend hours fetching water, clinics cannot store vaccines for children, many schoolchildren cannot do homework at night, and people cannot run competitive businesses. Slow progress towards improving access to clean and safe cooking fuels and technologies for 3 billion people is also of grave global concern, affecting both human health and the environment.
Furthermore, this lack of access to energy may hamper efforts to contain COVID-19 in many parts of the world. Energy services are key to preventing diseases and fighting pandemics – from powering healthcare facilities and supplying clean water for essential hygiene, to enabling communications and IT services that connect people while maintaining social distancing.
Key message BasicInternet: Health & Renewable energy uptake needs community engagement, fostered by information. Crisis management needs communication (BasicInternet reach of 20 km)

15:30 - 16:15 - WORKSHOP: ICT

  • Isaam White - Team Leader, Procurement Division, UN DOS
  • Victor Margal - Procurement Lead for Electoral and Identity-related Procurement, UNDP
  • Sanjay Colaco - Category Team Lead for Corporate Information Technology Services, World Bank Group
Information and communication technologies (ICT) have been on the frontlines of the COVID-19 response. The crisis has accelerated the digitalization of many businesses and services, including teleworking and video conferencing systems in and out of the workplace, as well as access to healthcare, education and essential goods and services.
As the pandemic reshapes the way in which we work, keep in touch, go to school and shop for essentials, it has never been more important to bridge the digital divide for the 3.6 billion people who remain offline, unable to access online education, employment or critical health and sanitation advice. In 2019, fewer than 1 in 5 people use the internet in Least Developed Countries (LDCs). Reducing the digital divide and facilitating access to information and communications technology (SDG 9) will be key to reach the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.
Key Message BasicInternet: Digital divide need "road business model", with free access to information

Agenda 26Jan2021

09:00 - 09:10 Welcome to the second day of the Nordic UN Procurement Seminar 2021! -Verner Kristiansen

Mr. Kristiansen will make a short recap of the first day, and present the exiting program for the second day.

09:10 - 09:50 Sustainable Procurement and the Private Sector

  • Thomas Bustrup - COO/Deputy Director General, The Confederation of Danish Industry
  • Petur Oskarsson - CEO, Promote Iceland
  • Ylva Berg - CEO, Business Sweden
  • Christopher Palmberg - Head of Developing Markets Platform, Business Finland
  • Per Niederbach - Division Director, Entrepreneurship, Growth and Export, Innovation Norway
The private sector is instrumental in the efforts to build back better and greener in the recovery from the COVID-19 crisis and if the UN Sustainable Development Goals are to be attained. Sustainable procurement has the potential to be a green and sustainable engine as it increases the focus and the demand for sustainable solutions and products. The Nordic companies offer high quality, sustainable products and services to all UN agencies, making the private sector a crucial part of the solution.
To ensure that Nordic companies are able to continue to contribute to the UN through export and to improve conditions for sustainable procurement, B2B collaboration between the companies are imperative. Partnerships between SMEs are highly relevant to create the best conditions for the continued export, as the collaborating companies can benefit from shared experience, offer better turn-key solutions and collectively contribute to the recovery being as sustainable as possible, which in turn can make the companies increasingly attractive to the UN procurement system.

10:00 - 10:45 PANEL: COVID-19

  • Martine Israel - Head of Unit (HQ Procurement), UNHCR
  • Philipp Kalpaxis - Acting Chief for Market Influencing and Supplier Financing at UNICEF Supply Division, UNICEF
  • Paul Molinaro - Chief, Operations Support and Logistics, WHO Health Emergencies Programme
The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed significant inequalities in healthcare access across the globe. Before the pandemic, we experienced major improvements in healthcare access for millions of people, but the current global health crisis has shown our shared vulnerabilities. We are facing a global health crisis unlike any other and the need for ensuring global efforts and cooperating across both public and private sectors to meet the challenges of this pandemic, as well as potential future health emergencies, seem more relevant than ever.
However, inequality across the globe is still a fact. The capacity of healthcare systems across the globe are determining how well a nation can respond to the impact of a crisis like COVID-19. The UN play a critical role in enabling access to PPE and WASH for preventing further spread of the virus in developing countries, as well as in humanitarian settings. The UN will also play a key role in securing access to vaccines, once these are available; in order to secure equal access around the world.
BasicInternet contribution: Inequalities are even more addressed in the access to information on health, both hampered by the digital divide and the gender divide when it comes to digital (boys have the toys). Establishing Wifi Infospots with free access to information on the Internet is our contribution

11:00 - 11:45 WORKSHOP: WASH

  • Antonio Torres - Global WASH Coordinator, IOM
  • Geoffrey Morgan- Infrastructure Sustainability and Resilience Specialist, UNOPS
  • Sylvain Bertrand - Technical Manager, Water Sanitation and Education Center, UNICEF
The demand for water has outpaced population growth, and half the world’s population is already experiencing severe water scarcity at least one month a year. Access to water, sanitation and hygiene is a human right, yet billions are still faced with daily challenges accessing even the most basic of services. 2.2 billion people lack access to safely managed drinking water services. About 4.2 billion people lack access to basic sanitation services, such as toilets or latrines. More than 80 percent of wastewater resulting from human activities is discharged into rivers or sea without any treatment, leading to pollution. Water and sanitation-related diseases remain among the major causes of death in children under five; more than 800 children die every day from diarrheal diseases linked to poor hygiene (UN.org).
Water scarcity, poor water quality and inadequate sanitation negatively impact food security, livelihood choices and educational opportunities for poor families across the world. In addition to this water and sanitation play a central role in preventing the spread of diseases, such as COVID-19. Eight out of ten people without access to safe drinking water live in rural areas and nearly half of them live in sub-Saharan Africa. The most deprived are still using untreated surface waters like lakes and rivers. Many of those deprived communities are located in remote hard to reach areas. Therefore, rural water supply will remain a challenge for many national governments and their development partners in the coming decade.


12:00 - 12:45 WORKSHOP: Medical Services and Supplies

  • Peter Bollen - Technical Specialist - Medical Devices, UNICEF
  • Maria Spinaki - Contracts Associate in the Strategic Procurement Cluster , UNFPA
  • Gregory Soneff - Procurement Specialist & Team Lead – Health, Renewable Energy & Crisis Procurement, UNDP
With the current pandemic, access to medical services and supplies has never been more important. The capacity of healthcare systems across the globe are determining how well a nation can respond to the impact of a crisis like COVID-19. The UN delivers vital solutions for communities around the world, from vaccines and contraceptives to medical equipment for healthcare facilities.
The UN procured 3.2 billion dollars’ worth of Pharmaceuticals, Contraceptives and Vaccines in 2019, making this procurement category the largest procurement segment since 2010. The recent increase in this segment is driven largely by an increase in the procurement of Immunomodulation drugs.
In 2019, the UN procured Medical Equipment for 740 million USD and Health Care services for 350 million USD. UNICEF is the largest buyer of Pharmaceuticals, Contraceptives, Vaccines and Medical Equipment, where WHO is the largest procurer of Healthcare Service.


14:00 - 14:50 WORKSHOP: Trading Places with the UN

  • Miguel Alvarez - Chief of Operational Sustainment and Healthcare Section in the Transportation & Life Support Service , UN DOS
Learn how to navigate and understand the tender process at the UN.
The UN Procurement System can be complex for both new and former vendors to navigate. Trading Places with the UN is an interactive large-scale workshop build on gamification to lead the participants through how procurement decisions are being made at the UN. The Nordic companies will gain insights on the UN requirements and be introduced to how to become a successful bidder.


15:00 - 15:45 WORKSHOP: Transportation and Logistics

  • Joscha Kremers - Chief of the Aviation Transportation & Logistics Section, UN/PD
  • Mounir Bouzar - Global Logistics Lead for COVID-19 vaccines, UNICEF
  • Vladimir Jovcev
The transportation and logistics sector is key for delivering a large variety of goods and products to UN projects around the world. Many of these projects require enormous amounts of materials and products for responding to the needs of millions of people. They also take place in challenging environments, crossing through areas with little or no infrastructure or operating in conflict areas with high risk. Finally, products such as vaccines and food require complex cold-chain systems to deliver these fragile products on time and in the needed conditions.
The transportation segment represents over 13 pct. of the annual procurement amount at the UN, with passenger transportation by air, road cardo transportation, and marine cargo transportation being the three top-class levels within the segment. Nordic companies have substantial opportunities to tap into this segment and provide crucial transport and logistics products and services.

16:00 - 16:45 WORKSHOP: Engineering and Management Services

  • Rajiv Krishnan Parankusam - Category Team Lead for Corporate Services & Real Estate , World Bank Group
  • Wamidh Shammas - Contracts Specialist – Construction Unit, Contracting Centre, UNICEF
  • Geoffrey Morgan - Infrastructure Sustainability and Resilience Specialist, UNOPS
Engineering and Management services play a crucial role in supporting the UN in fulfilling its various mandates. Infrastructure and engineering solutions enable physical improvements, while innovative technologies and management services improve processes, and enable the UN to achieve even greater results over time.
The Nordics have extensive experience with these types of services. In 2019 the UN procured Engineering and Research Services for USD 1.1 billion which is 5.5 pct. of the total procurement that year. For the Nordic countries, the stronghold in this category is primarily Information Technology Service Delivery, Computer Services, and Manufacturing Technologies. Within the segment Management and Administration Services, the Nordic countries primarily have their stronghold within Business Administration Services and Management Advisory Services, proving that the opportunities for Nordic companies within Engineering and Management Services are plentiful.
BasicInternet contribution: build in Africa for Africa needs knowledge hubs, e.g. on energy usage, maintenance and business opportunities. UN can contribute as the collector of information


16:45 - 17:00 Thank you for participating in the Nordic UN Procurement Seminar 2021 - Verner Kristiansen

Mr. Kristiansen will provide a short recap of the many panels and workshops that took place. He will also provide good tips and contact information for your next steps engaging with the UN procurement system.
The Nordic UN Procurement Seminar takes place every second year, we look forward to welcoming you again.