1. Bern University of Applied Sciences
  2. Social Work
  3. Continuing education
  4. Public Sector Procurement and Law
See table of contents See table of contents

Public Sector Procurement and Law

Ensure your public sector procurement activities are legally compliant and sustainable: develop the judicial and operational skills you need with this continuing education programme.

A strict regulatory framework governs the purchase of goods, construction work and services by public sector clients. This CAS provides an introduction to public sector procurement. It is aimed at individuals working for public authorities and government-related organisations and at contractors and advisers involved in public sector procurement processes who want to ensure purchases are legally compliant, focused and sustainable.

If you are responsible for public sector procurement activities, this CAS is the perfect choice:

  • You will be in a position to carry out public sector procurement activities independently, in a legally compliant and sustainable manner.
  • You will be able to distinguish between the different procurement procedures and regulations.
  • You will understand the revised legislative framework governing public sector procurement.
  • You will be in a position to formulate suitable technical specifications plus selection and award criteria.
  • You will be able to examine, adjust and evaluate bids and award the tender in a legally correct manner.

     

Factsheet

  • Degree/Certificate Certificate of Advanced Studies (CAS)
  • Duration 18 study days
  • Schedule Thursday, Friday, Saturday, approx. once a month
  • Application deadline 6 weeks before start, later registration also possible if places are available
  • ECTS credits 12 ECTS-credits
  • Costs CHF 8,500
  • Teaching language German
  • Location Bern, Schwarztorstrasse 48
  • School Business School
  • Next session Please visit the German website for more information

Contact

Downloads (in German)

For further information and registration, please visit the German website. 

Content + structure

Portrait

In this CAS, we introduce you to the new procurement legislation (revised BöB*/revised IVöB**). You will learn what distinguishes public sector procurement from procurement in the private sector and acquire the methodological expertise to organise and plan your procurement activities. You will create tender documents with suitable evaluation criteria and practise evaluating submitted bids.

We focus in particular on sustainable procurement, which is recognised as a factor in the paradigm shift of the new procurement legislation. During the six programme modules, you will develop the knowledge required to ensure your public sector procurement activities are sustainable, legally compliant, successful and suitable to your needs.

*Federal Act on Public Procurement
**Interkantonale Vereinbarung über das öffentliche Beschaffungswesen

Learning outcomes

By the end of the CAS in Public Sector Procurement, you will:

  • Be familiar with the (revised) regulatory framework for public sector procurement, as outlined in BöB and IVöB.
  • Understand the key considerations and successful procedures involved in planning, organising and implementing sustainable public sector procurement activities.
  • Be able to examine, adjust and evaluate bids and make preparations to award the tender in a legally correct and sustainable manner.
  • Understand how procurement design impacts on the evaluation and the success of the decision to award the tender.
  • Understand the risks and the impact of an appeal.
  • Carry out an evaluation independently.
  • Identify the relevant selection and award criteria and the criteria for the technical specification of different product groups for sustainable procurement.

Module 1: Principles of public sector procurement: compliance and project management

Introduction to public sector procurement on the basis of the new procurement legislation: scope, declaration of interests, prior involvement and procedural principles. Overview of the procurement process from A to Z on the basis of legal regulations and judicial practice.

Module 2: Project planning and process selection

Procurement organisation and procurement planning, needs analysis and market analysis, setting the contract value, process selection, direct awards, avoidance of informal agreements.

Module 3: Tender documentation/ensuring procurement follows procedure

Development of the procurement design, definition of the evaluation criteria and preparation of the specifications on the basis of typical practical applications.

Module 4: Invitation to tender, evaluation, adjustment, award and signing of contract

Comparison of evaluation methods, application of price curves, producing an evaluation report with rating and clear explanation of the reasoning behind the evaluation.

Module 5: Sustainable procurement

Paradigm shift in procurement legislation, BöB revision, potential for sustainable procurement, knowledge sharing, discussion of case studies, input from research.

Module 6: Specific issues in public sector procurement

Three independent study days focusing on: Changes in the new procurement legislation; Successful tendering procedures for framework agreements; and Innovation in procurement.

Adults learn differently. That is why the continuing education at the BFH Business school is committed to modern adult education. Our mission with «brain, heart and hand» is an important principle in the design of our offers. Questions in the lessons are based on the participants' professional and practical life experiences. Contact study and self-study phases are combined in a meaningful way, analogue learning environments are combined with digital tools. Microsoft Teams is available as a supplementary tool: you have access to documents, messages and information as well as a chat function within the class.

The stimulating learning atmosphere and range of methodologies and teaching approaches are designed to have a motivating effect. Presentations on the theoretical principles, concepts and methods used by our lecturers. You will assimilate what you have learned through practical examples and exercises. This creates a balance between theoretical and practical learning. Discussions in small groups, e-learning tools, virtual pinboards and online questionnaires are designed to support your development process.

  • Seminars, tutorials, technical discussions
  • Group work and short presentations
  • Self-study
  • Working through case studies
  • Research input and practice studies

Class attendance

Regular attendance in class as well as the passing of the proof of competence are prerequisites for the successful completion of the degree programme. If you are absent for more than 2 days, you will have to make up for this (after consultation with the head of the degree programme).

Assessment in this CAS

  • Transfer report

Proof of competence transfer report

  • Content: The transfer report deals with a question on a topic of your CAS. You choose a topic from your own working environment and solve a practical problem.
  • Methodology: You develop an application-oriented solution to your practice-oriented problem. In doing so, you will use existing specialist literature, apply scientific methods such as interviews or surveys to find a solution and undertake a critical reflection.
  • Length: maximum 3000 words (without title page, table of contents, summary, tables, pictures, references and appendix).
  • Language: German (English or French by arrangement)

We offer short, free learning events for all students of our CAS programmes. With these offers we would like to support you in completing your CAS successfully.

Effective learning in continuing education at universities of applied sciences

You will learn about transfer-oriented learning models and techniques. You reflect on your own learning biography and are encouraged to try out new learning behaviour.

Workshop Transfer Report 

You will be supported in writing your report and benefit from active peer counselling. You will present your unfinished report and receive feedback from the audience as well as from an expert.

Methodology Transfer Report 

You will get to know and understand the exact tasks of a transfer report. We teach you the quality criteria to write a good report.

We highly recommend participation for your first CAS. You will receive further information and schedule before the start of the study.

Lecturers

Our lecturers are proven experts with extensive practical and theoretical knowledge in their subject areas. They have at least a university degree plus many years of experience in higher education. 

Admission + further study

You will focus on public sector tendering processes and other procurement processes carried out at national, cantonal and local government level or by other procurement departments.

Typical participants:

  • Senior executives in national, cantonal or local government, public enterprises and other authorities and organisations that are subject to the procurement law
  • Procurement specialists from public sector institutions
  • Specialists from other departments involved in public sector procurement activities
  • Salespeople and service specialists
  • Advisers on public procurement activities

University degree

You will be admitted to the programme with a degree from a university, university of applied sciences, university of teacher education, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, or an equivalent foreign university and at least two years of professional experience.

Higher vocational training

If you have a qualification from a higher vocational education institution (Diploma Höhere Fachschule HF, Federal Diploma, Federal Certificate of Proficiency) and several years of professional experience, you will also be admitted to the programme. However, you will be required to attend our Introduction to Academic Study before starting the CAS. Completion of this module is a prerequisite for admission to the CAS.

Exceptions

In exceptional circumstances applicants may still  be admitted. The head of the degree programme will make a decision based upon your application and extenuating circumstances. Please contact us. If you are admitted, you will in any case attend the course «Introduction to Academic Writing» (in German) before the first CAS.

Certificate of Advanced Studies (CAS) of Bern University of Applied Sciences in «Public Sector Procurement» (12 ECTS credits).

This CAS can be counted towards:

Organisation + registration

The programme includes 18 days of classroom teaching. Teaching, at intermittent intervals, on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. Max. 24 participants.

For further information and registration, please visit the German website. 

Documents required for registration

You can register online via registration form. For registration we require following documents (in PDF format, max. 1 MB per document): 

  • Diplomas 

  • Curriculum Vitae 

  • Passport-sized photo (in JPG format) 

Please upload these documents even if you have already submitted them for another application. 

Organisational aspects of the CAS

CHF 8,500

All costs for compulsory literature, course materials and assessments are included in the price.

The continuing education regulations of the Bern University of Applied Sciences and the implementation regulations for the continuing education regulations apply. The right to make changes is reserved. In case of doubt, the wording of the legal provisions and regulations shall prevail.

Continuing Education Regulations of Bern University of Applied Sciences (WBR) (PDF, 133 KB)
Implementation Provisions for the Continuing Education Regulations WBR in the Business School (PDF, 81 KB)
Implementation Provisions for the Continuing Education Regulations (PDF, 77 KB)
Framework Study Regulations at Bern University of Applied Sciences (PDF, 127 KB)
Regulations on Scientific Integrity at Bern University of Applied Sciences (WissIR) (PDF, 140 KB)
Legal foundations

Advice and information events

Study Counselling

If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact us.

Head of programme

Information events

In addition to the information events we offer you our personal advice. By telephone or directly online via MS Teams.

Please contact us!

E-mail: weiterbildung.wirtschaft@bfh.ch 
Phone: 031 848 34 02

Location + facilities

Lessons take place at Schwarztorstrasse 48 in Bern.

Bern Schwarztorstrasse 48