ICT Industry

ERP vendors, system integrators and IT service providers can offer standardised e-procurement software modules and services that are interoperable across Europe, expanding their business potential outside national borders.

The Workshop participants developed technical specifications (so called “BII profiles”) for e-procurement processes that can be implemented in information systems to interact seamlessly anywhere in Europe.

The BII profiles have been used in several EU countries.

To the ICT industry, the BII Workshop offered:

  • a framework for technical (semantic and organisational) interoperability in electronic transactions, expressed as a set of technical specifications for the relevant processes, based on the European Interoperability Framework
  • a modular approach to develop standardised solutions and services, as “add-on” (e.g.: for e-tendering; e-ordering; e-invoicing; e-catalogues, etc.) instead of expensive tailored implementations;
  • stable and syntax neutral specifications to automate procurement processes, with mapping available to UBL and UN/CEFACT and guidelines to ease implementation;
  • test and self-conformance tools (i.e.: validation artifacts);
  • alignment with European requirements for standardisation and interoperability in electronic procurement.