The Need For a Solid SME Base Within the Industrial Chain on Space and Defence Programmes

Wednesday 3 October 2018, 14:40 – 16:10
Location: Bremen Conference Center – CCB Hansesaal

Start-up and scale-up firms are important drivers of economic growth and thus for the creation of jobs. During recent years, professional, scientific and technical activities have represented the sector with the highest share of high-growth firms.
SME firms play an steadily increasing role within the industrial chain working for space and defence programmes, the analysis of which is subject of this presentation and panel session. On the other hand, within the new space and defence industries there are also companies opting for an approach having most production under one roof.
The public procurement authorities provide industrial policy reflections / directives on the share of the involvement of SME companies within the space and defence contracts. In addition to this, public procurement authorities can play an increasingly important role by providing supporting measures to the SME in many different forms( e.g. improving SME visibility, networking opportunities, supply chain integration and ability to bid for contracts).
The respective views will be presented by the 3 important actors involved i.e. the Public Procurement Authorities, Large System Integrators, SME companies and their representative bodies.
As the topic is relevant worldwide, high level representatives from different continents, with a special role for SME’s, will participate to this session.
Key questions to be addressed during this panel / presentation sessions are:

Which are the advantages and responsibilities for Large System Integrators / Prime contractors to have a solid SME industrial base, instead of a company owned vertically integrated industrial structure.
Which are the views of the SME community that their actual share in development contracts is much below their share of winning space technology contracts and what should be done about this.
What is the present role of the Public Procurement Authorities and how should this role further evolve in the future?

Organized by: