THE USE OF ELECTRONIC TOOLS IN PUBLIC PROCUREMENT AS A FACTOR SPURRING DEMAND FOR INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS IN THE ECONOMY, ACCORDING TO CONTRACTORS

By generating a number of economic and non-economic benefits, electronic procurement can act as an important tool for creating demand for innovation by the public sector, and thus raise the innovativeness of the entire national economy. The purpose of this article is to gather information on the state of knowledge of the representatives of companies taking part in tenders regarding various electronic tools in the public procurement system, and to evaluate the image of public entities responsible for their implementation, and to gather opinions on the possibility of implementing such solutions in the process of spurring demand for innovation. The results come from a questionnaire conducted among 176 companies in various industries that participated in the public procurement system as contractors. The survey was conducted electronically. The time range of the study covered the first half of 2015 and concerned the contractors located in Poland. In the opinion of the surveyed companies the use of electronic tools in the Polish public procurement system is conducive to spurring demand for innovation. Contractors see broad prospects in connection with the computerization of the public procurement system in Poland. However, they are dependent on the actions of authorities. By generating a number of economic and non-economic benefits, electronic procurement can act as an important tool for creating demand for innovation by the public sector, and thus raise the innovativeness of the entire national economy. The purpose of this article is to gather information on the state of knowledge of the representatives of companies taking part in tenders regarding various electronic tools in the public procurement system, and to evaluate the image of public entities responsible for their implementation, and to gather opinions on the possibility of implementing such solutions in the process of spurring demand for innovation. The results come from a questionnaire conducted among 176 companies in various industries that participated in the public procurement system as contractors. The survey was conducted electronically. The time range of the study covered the first half of 2015 and concerned the contractors located in Poland. In the opinion of the surveyed companies the use of electronic tools in the Polish public procurement system is conducive to spurring demand for innovation. Contractors see broad prospects in connection with the computerization of the public procurement system in Poland. However, they are dependent on the actions of authorities.