The event is planned to be held at the EXPOFORUM venue, where the SPIEF is currently taking place. It is one of the most modern venues in Europe and Russia. Thus, next year the Forum-Exhibition «PUBLIC PROCUREMENT» not only will become the site for exchanging experience between participants from different regions, but also will allow them to demonstrate their capabilities to all companies wishing to actively participate in public and corporate procurement.

Over 19 years, having turned into the unique competence centre, the Forum-Exhibition «PUBLIC PROCUREMENT» has established itself as the leading expert platform in the field of public, municipal and corporate procurement. Every year, the event brings together thousands of customers, officials from state corporations and industrial enterprises, manufacturers and suppliers, experts, representatives of public and scientific organizations. Within the event, the exhibition is organized, where regions and small- and medium-sized businesses are given the opportunity for presenting their achievements and best practices in the field of procurement.

«More and more leading international and federal business events take place in St. Petersburg. The city increases its potential as a business-tourism centre. We will do everything necessary to ensure that the upcoming large-scale event in the field of public procurement is held at the highest level. The organization of the joint forum provides the regions with an excellent opportunity to meet in an expanded format with all industry players, share experiences and strengthen professional ties», said Valery Moskalenko, Vice Governor of St. Petersburg.

Every year the event is held in framework of the relevant instruction of the Government of the Russian Federation, and the Organizing Committee is formed to prepare its concept and the business program. So, this year, headed by Denis Valentinovich Manturov, First Deputy Chairman of the Government of the Russian Federation, the Organizing Committee included representatives of senior managers of the Ministry of Finance of Russia, the Federal Antimonopoly Service of Russia, the Federal Treasury, the Ministry of Industry and Trade of Russia, as well as all sectoral federal authorities, including the Ministry of Health Care of Russia, the Ministry of Education and Science of Russia, the Ministry of Construction of Russia, state corporations and state-owned companies, the All-Russian Public Organization of Small- and Medium-sized Businesses «OPORA ROSSII», the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation.

«Over the past 19 years, the Forum has turned from the expert platform for developing legislative initiatives into the platform operating to solve industry procurement tasks. As we know, public procurement is investments in our country’s economy, and, given the current reality, it is necessary for customers to look towards Russian manufacturers. And for this purpose, a lot of instruments have been developed, including, for example, offset contracts, which the Government of St. Petersburg pays great attention to. It is very important that customers from all over the country, federal and regional executive authorities, state corporations and state-owned companies participate in the event. It is also symbolic that the agreement was signed in the framework of the St. Petersburg Forum, the professional federal platform. The 20th Anniversary Forum-Exhibition «PUBLIC PROCUREMENT» must necessarily take place in St. Petersburg», stressed Andrey Sadofyev, Director of the All-Russian Forum-Exhibition «PUBLIC PROCUREMENT», at the ceremony of signing the agreement.

«In the schedule of our industrial exhibitions, the Forum-Exhibition «PUBLIC PROCUREMENT» will become the methodological core, including in terms of the work of business procurement centres functioning in course of other industrial projects. St. Petersburg has the unique experience in public procurement. The ultimate goal is for public funds and budget purchases to synergistically work for the economy as a whole as the guarantee of development and involvement of investors. The turnover in the field of public and corporate procurement is about 20 trillion rubles, which exceeds 10% of Russia’s GDP», says Sergey Voronkov, General Director of EXPOFORUM International, President of the Russian Union of Exhibitions and Fairs.

As part of the event, sections on topical issues, such as procurement in the fields of healthcare, construction, housing and communal services, education, transport and energy, are organized jointly with relevant ministries.

 «The agreement signed today is primarily aimed at achieving the objectives set in terms of the efficient development of contractual relations in the field of public procurement. The joint forum will become the platform for discussing topical issues and proposals related to improving legislation in the field of public procurement and expanding opportunities for small- and medium-sized businesses to participate in procurement. I am sure that holding the joint forum provides the country’s regions with the excellent opportunity for sharing experiences, strengthening professional ties, as well as confirming the common vector of developing the Government of St. Petersburg and the business community», said Denis Tolstykh, Head of the Public Procurement Committee of St. Petersburg.

Every year, following the Forum results, the Resolution – the set of expert initiatives – is prepared. For example, this year the final document includes over 70 proposals: the key ones will be included in the instructions of the Government of the Russian Federation.