Korea and Canada in Cooperation to Support SMEs MOU Singed between PPS and PSPC for Government Procurement Cooperation Including in New Growth and e-Procurement FieldsOn April 16th, at KINTEX in Ilsan, Gyeonggi Province, the Public Procurement Service of Korea(PPS) and the Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) signed an MOU for mutual cooperation in government procurement.   Through the MOU, both countries aim to share information related to public procurement, particularly in new growth areas and electronic procurement systems. They also intend to strengthen cooperation in public procurement policies reflecting innovation, social and environmental values.       PPS and PSPC signed an MOU on mutual cooperation in government procurement This MOU followed bilateral discussions held at the Korea Public Procurement Expo last year. During these talks, both countries identified areas for mutual cooperation in e-Procurement and Innovation Procurement systems, agreeing to enhance cooperation through high-level visits and practical discussions.   Furthermore, after signing the MOU, officials from both sides are to participate in the Korea Public Procurement Expo 2024 (April 17-19) to strengthen networking between Canadian and Korean small and medium-sized enterprises.PPS Administrator Lim Ki-keun stated, "This MOU will be an opportunity to closely coordinate Korea-Canada procurement cooperation and take a step forward," adding, "We will actively support suppliers of both countries in promoting their quality products internationally and securing pathways to the global market."

  PPS Aids in Improving Technologies and Quality of Publicly Procured Drones while Expanding Government Market Access for Them     On March 28th, PPS officials visited Gryphon Dynamics, a drone manufacturer to check the progress of the "Public Market Drone Technology and Quality Improvement Plan" to listen to the voices from the drone-manufacturing field.   This small and medium-sized venture was established in 2015, and　its products were designated by PPS as both the Innovative Product and the Excellent Government Procurement. The drone maker successfully joined the government procurement market in 2023 through PPS’ pilot purchase program for technologically proven Innovative Products. The vendor expressed that support from the public sector has been a cornerstone for the growth of domestic drone companies, and emphasized the need for active support utilizing public procurement.   Jeon Tae-won, Director-General for the New Growth Procurement Planning of PPS, said, "Through this policy improvement, we expect domestic drone manufacturers to boost competitiveness in drone technology and quality and flourish in the public sector," and he added, "We will continue to reflect the voices from the field promptly in our policies to ensure that suppliers can grow through government procurement."   Bang Hyeong-joon, Administrator of PPS Daegu, said, "It is urgent to secure public market channels for excellent local companies to revitalize the local economy," adding "Through supportive measures such as guidance on public procurement, PPS　will endeavor to serve as a solid stepping stone for companies with technological prowess to enter and grow in the public procurement market."   Meanwhile, the central procurer has been implementing the "Public Market Drone Technology and Quality Improvement Plan" in earnest since its announcement of the plan on March 19th, focusing on ① inducing technology development and quality improvement of domestic drone makers, ② enhancing drone operation capabilities of public agencies, and ③ expanding market access for the suppliers.