Dutch government approves five-year plan to reshape public procurement

The Dutch government has approved a five-year plan to use its roughly €20 billion in annual spending on goods and services to support digital autonomy, security and sustainability, while making public procurement less bureaucratic. The policy covers central government purchasing, excluding the Ministry of Defence, which will join where possible. [1]

The government says it buys from about 25,000 companies. The new Vision on Central Government Procurement replaces its 2019 “Procurement with Impact” strategy and aims to make purchasing more consistent and efficient. State Secretary Van der Burg said the changes should reduce duplicated costs and work, improve quality and allow the government to operate with fewer staff. [1]

The plan also treats procurement as a way to reduce reliance on overseas suppliers and protect access to essential goods and services. It calls for risks to be assessed before contracts are signed and monitored during delivery, with security requirements built into agreements. Since 1 January 2026, companies carrying out government contracts that pose national-security risks have had to meet the government’s standard security requirements, intended to reduce risks including cyber-attacks and espionage. [1]

The government says its large-scale purchasing can help innovative businesses grow and encourage greater use of recycled materials. It cites recycled uniforms turned into construction panels for government buildings, digital exchange of timesheets to save administrative work, and a data-connectivity contract that considered social impact and reuse of raw materials alongside cost. [1]