Review of events in 2024

2024 marked the start of the second year of the implementation of the Growth Strategy. The Growth Strategy’s joint procurement target was increased during the year so that instead of the previous half a billion euros, the joint procurement growth target for the period 2023–2028 is now one billion euros.

The strategy is based on added value to customers. Hansel’s vision is to be the preferred procurement partner for our customers, and our purpose is to generate savings in public administration through efficient procurement operations. Hansel is ethical and efficient, while offering its customers an excellent service experience. Sustainability will be our strength also in the future, and related efforts by Hansel will be continuously improved. Our employees are top public procurement specialists who value their work and each other. Hansel’s corporate culture encourages continuous learning, community spirit and good team spirit.

The changing geopolitical situation and the pandemic before this emphasised the importance of preparedness. Through the Ministry of Finance, Hansel is involved in public administration preparedness projects. Hansel ensures the continuity of its own operations in the event of disruptions and preparedness in joint procurement in collaboration with its customers and contractual suppliers.

2024 was a busy year for events, both live and on the web. In total, 6,000 customers and suppliers attended the various events. Hansel arranged a total of 65 events and participated in five events organised by others with a trade fair stand of its own. Four of our own events were customer webinars, four information events for contractual suppliers and 57 information events on joint procurement procedures. The webinars for customers covered topics such as support during the contract period, support for mini-competitions, analysis of procurement indicators and sustainable food procurement. After a hiatus of a few years, Hansel’s Facility Day was arranged as a hybrid event. The information events for suppliers covered topics such as the electronic eKuitti receipt, frequently asked questions for contractual suppliers, ABCs for contractual suppliers and the provision of dynamic procurement systems for mini-competitions. The customer forum convened three times, covering topics such as AI in public procurement, Procurement Pulse as a reporting tool, and data collection and analysis in the procurement lifecycle.

Hansel regularly monitors customer and supplier satisfaction. The surveys for 2024 were realised in January 2025. The average customer satisfaction score on a scale of 1 to 5 was 4.24 (4.19 in the previous year), and the average supplier satisfaction score was 4.12 (4.06 in the previous year). The joint procurement support unit provides services related to Hansel’s 63 joint procurement procedures, in which the customers choose their suppliers through mini-competitions. The customer satisfaction score for this unit in terms of assignments was 4.66 on a scale of 1 to 5 (4.53 in 2023).

In the spring of 2024, the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment established a working group to prepare amendments of the procurement legislation, a significant part of which was related to the entries in the Programme of Prime Minister Petteri Orpo’s Government. Hansel was involved in the procurement working group as a permanent specialist. The procurement legislation working group convened 14 times in 2024. The term of the working group ended on 30 November 2024, and its report was published on 8 January 2025. The report proposes several amendments to the Act on Public Procurement and Concession Contracts, which will affect procurement in practice. Examples include an obligation to divide contracts above the EU threshold value between several suppliers and an obligation to suspend a procurement procedure if only one bid is received. New obligations related to market surveys, such as the obligation to carry out a market survey for procurement projects with a value of over EUR 10 million, are also proposed for the Act on Public Procurement and Concession Contracts. Other proposals concerning the Act on Public Procurement and Concession Contracts include restrictions on the award of contracts to entities affiliated to the contracting entities. The proposals would have a significant impact on tendering in joint procurement procedures and Hansel’s clientele. The proposed provisions would increase the obligations and rights of appeal in procurement procedures. The proposed provisions on affiliated entities are likely to have a significant impact on the position and functions of companies owned by municipalities in particular. The circulation of the procurement legislation working group’s proposal for comments will be concluded in March 2025.

In 2024, the European Union prepared several EU regulations with specific obligations related to the sustainability of procurement. Examples include the Net Zero Regulation (2024/1735/EU), the Critical Raw Materials Regulation (1252/2024/EU) and the Regulation on limit values for heavy-duty vehicles (2024/1610/EU). The Commission also opened an investigation into Chinese medical devices under the Regulation on the access of third-country economic operators, goods and services to the Union’s public procurement and concession markets and procedures (1031/2022/EU). The application of the Regulation on foreign subsidies distorting the internal market (2560/2022/EU) started, and Hansel submitted explanations to the Commission of suppliers under the Regulation for joint procurement procedures of significant value covered by the Regulation.

Hansel was involved in working groups established by the Ministry of Finance to reform the General Terms of Public Procurement (JYSE) and the General Terms of Public Procurement for IT (JIT).

Hansel was also involved in a working group for joint procurement coordination established the Ministry of Finance, both as a member and in its secretariat. The working group’s term was from 1 January 2023 to 31 December 2024. In addition, Hansel participated in other projects during the year, such as Hankinta-Suomi (Procurement Finland), an operational programme of the Ministry of Finance and the Association of Finnish Cities and Municipalities, and a project on the Competence Centre for Sustainable and Innovative Public Procurement (KEINO) by the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, which ended in 2024. Hansel also carried out a study commissioned by the Ministry of Finance on improving the performance of the procurement of licences in public administration.

Hansel continued to develop the public procurement notice channel (Hilma), based on an assignment from the Ministry of Finance. The Ministry of Finance is responsible for the funding of the project, and related invoicing under other operating expenses amounted to EUR 1,211,000 in 2024 (EUR 1,692,000 in 2023). The company also conducted several other development projects aimed at the ease of use of joint procurement, the best digital service experience in the sector and internal efficiency. The most important internal development projects were the development of websites, the creation of mini-competition features similar to online stores, and the reform of external and internal reporting services.

At the end of 2024, Hansel had four pending appeals in the Market Court. The company had no pending appeals in the Supreme Administrative Court at the end of 2024. Hansel had one pending dispute in a District Court at the end of 2024. In 2024, Hansel received two decisions of the Market Court rejecting the related claims. An appeal involving the procurement of voice solutions concerned the definition of the procurement object, the time limit for bids and a request for clarification from the successful tenderer. The Market Court held that the procurement had been carried out in accordance with the Act on Public Procurement and Concession Contracts. In January 2025, the appellant submitted appeals regarding the Market Court decisions to the Supreme Administrative Court. However, the Supreme Administrative Court rejected the applications for leave to appeal in February 2025. In February 2025, Hansel received a decision from the Market Court about the processing of an appeal concerning office supplies lapsing because the appeal had been withdrawn.

Hansel follows the processing of public procurement matters in the European Union. Hansel is a member of a cooperation group for key central purchasing bodies in the EU. In addition to Hansel, the group includes several European central purchasing bodies such as SKI (Denmark), Kammarkollegiet and Adda (Sweden), BBG (Austria), Consip (Italy), and ANCP (Portugal).

Hansel’s compliance function is responsible for the currency of guidelines and business principles related to ethical operations. It supports its personnel in questions related to ethical operations, arranges related training and processes any whistleblowing reports. The function reports annually to the company’s Board of Directors.

Sustainable development, environmental matters and the shadow economy

Themes related to sustainability, preparedness and combating the shadow economy are playing an increasingly important role in public procurement. In its operations, Hansel adheres to the sustainability principles laid down by the Government. Sustainability reporting has become an integrated part of the company’s annual reporting practices and provides detailed coverage of all sustainability-related measures. As part of the sustainability work, the company pays special attention to the impact of its operations on competition and the functionality of the market.

Key events since the closing of the financial year

The business operations have remained essentially unchanged since the closing of the financial year.

Outlook and goals for 2025

The company will continue the implementation of its Growth Strategy in line with the action plan. The target for the strategy period is to achieve significant growth in joint procurement.