Operations of the joint procurement unit

2024 was a good year for Hansel: the use of joint procurement increased by EUR 125 million to a new record of EUR 1.7 billion. The growth target was even higher, but the savings made in public administration started to affect Hansel’s operations midway through the year. The planned sales of specialist services and the company’s financial performance were achieved. In accordance with the strategy, growth is sought especially with municipalities and wellbeing services counties, which have the highest growth potential, but there was also significant growth in governmental customer relationships.

The role and function of the central purchasing body is defined in public procurement legislation and the Act on a Limited Liability Company Called Hansel Oy. The company’s customers are specified in the Act on a Limited Liability Company Called Hansel Oy. They include ministries and their agencies, certain other government agencies, universities and universities of applied sciences, Keva, municipalities, joint municipal authorities, parishes, wellbeing services counties, and the contracting entities they govern. Hansel Oy has 72,025 shares, of which 46,817 (65%) are owned by the State of Finland, and 25,208 (35%) by the Association of Finnish Cities and Municipalities. All shares are of equal value. In accordance with its articles of association, Hansel is a non-profit limited liability company.

Hansel’s goal is to arrange tendering and maintain joint procurement contracts for services and products that bring significant benefits in the form of prices, quality and process cost savings. Hansel also offers procurement tendering and development services. It also manages and develops Hilma, the public procurement notice channel, based on a mandate and with funding from the Ministry of Finance.

As a central purchasing body, Hansel promotes high-quality procurement, fair treatment of suppliers and competition by organising tendering to ensure that the markets operate effectively.

Hansel finances its operations through service fees for central procurement charged from the contractual suppliers and the sales of specialist services. The service fees are based on purchases and can be up to 1.50% of the contract value. The average service fee in 2024 was 0.83% (0.85% in 2023).