Public procurement in Slovenia represents a critical economic function accounting for 14.2% of GDP and nearly 28% of total government expenditure. Beyond its fiscal impact, public procurement is a key tool for delivering value for money and advancing broader policy objectives, including sustainability, innovation and inclusive growth.
Recognising the importance of a well-functioning procurement system, the Government of Slovenia has taken steps to strengthen its strategic use of public procurement, particularly at the subnational level, where many contracting authorities face capacity constraints and fragmented procurement needs.
The 2024 OECD report on “Increasing Competition in Public Procurement in Slovenia” identified several structural and institutional challenges that limit supplier participation and competition in procurement procedures, including high proportion of single-bid tenders and the use of non-competitive procedures. One of the key recommendations was the need to promote more strategic, collaborative procurement practices to improve market access, reduce fragmentation, and strengthen institutional capacity across contracting authorities. These recommendations are fully aligned with the 2015 OECD Recommendation on Public Procurement, which under the principle of efficiency, recommends its Adherents to “[develop and use tools to improve procurement procedures, reduce duplication and achieve greater value for money, including centralised purchasing, framework agreements, […] joint procurements.”
Collaborative public procurement approaches such as central purchasing bodies, joint or co-ordinated procurement initiatives, and communities of practice, can generate significant benefits. These include economies of scale, reducing administrative burden, and enhanced knowledge exchange among procurement professionals. Such approaches are particularly relevant for smaller contracting authorities that may lack the capacity or expertise to act independently.
This report provides an overview of the current landscape of collaborative public procurement in Slovenia. It examines different collaborative approaches, drawing on practices from other OECD countries, identifies existing gaps and opportunities, and offers actionable recommendations to foster co-operation among public buyers.
This report was developed under the project “Increasing competition in the Slovenian public procurement system through promoting collaborative public procurement”, implemented by the OECD in co-operation with the Ministry of Public Administration of Slovenia and financed by the European Commission (EC).
The work is part of the OECD’s broader efforts to support strategic public procurement systems that respond to today's societal, environmental and economic challenges, including the promotion of sustainable growth and quality job creation. The analysis draws on desk research and data from Slovenia’s national procurement portals, e-JN and e-Narocanje.