A step closer to UN procurement: Datakom's experience at EUPF 2026

The European Procurement Forum (EUPF) is an annual international event that brings together European companies and United Nations (UN) procurement professionals. The forum aims to help companies understand the UN procurement system, network with UN agencies and prepare for international procurement. The event programme includes presentations, discussions, one-on-one meetings with UN procurement representatives and practical advice on supplier registration and cooperation opportunities.

This year, as part of the INGO project, the forum was attended by Datakom, a member company of the Latvian IT cluster. We invited them to share their impressions of the experience they gained, the most valuable insights, and the opportunities that this event provides for companies that want to develop cooperation with the UN system.

Kārlis Skrodelis, Head of Datakom's International Project Development Group, answers questions and shares his experience.

1. What were the main goals of going to the European Procurement Forum in New York?

The main goal was to better understand how Datakom can work purposefully with UN and international organization procurement. A special focus was on understanding how other ICT infrastructure, cybersecurity, cloud computing and managed IT service providers are successful in these organizations, as well as on building contacts with UN representatives and potential partners.

2. Were the objectives achieved? What were the main lessons and benefits from participating in the forum?

Yes, the goals were achieved. The forum provided a better understanding of the UN procurement processes, evaluation approach and practical requirements for suppliers. We gained insight into how other companies have achieved long-term success in UN organizations. We gained contacts from potential partners.

3. Did you manage to establish new contacts or identify potential cooperation opportunities with UN agencies, partners or other companies during the forum?

Yes. During the forum, there were valuable 1-on-1 meetings with representatives of the UN Secretariat and UNDP, as well as discussions with potential cooperation partners and the Permanent Mission of Latvia to the UN in New York. Opportunities were identified for both direct participation in UN procurement and cooperation with larger international ICT companies. Now it is important to use these contacts effectively.

4. What opportunities do you see for Latvian companies in the UN procurement system and the international organization market in general?

The opportunities are real, especially in the areas of ICT, cybersecurity, data centers, managed services and specialized technologies. What is more than clear is that this is not a quick sales channel, it requires patience, systematic procurement monitoring, a high compliance culture and the ability to work with international requirements. Several companies that successfully work with the UN worked for 3-5 years until they reached a good level of cooperation.

5. What are the next steps after participating in the forum? Have you already used the knowledge and contacts you gained, for example, by participating in new procurements or starting cooperation negotiations?

The next steps are to maintain contact as much as possible with the UN and partner representatives we met, continue to follow UNGM procurement and select opportunities where we have a real technical and commercial fit. The knowledge gained is already being used in the evaluation of new procurements and partnership negotiations. But this is a long process that requires great perseverance.

6. Are there any other insights, observations or recommendations that would be worth mentioning, both in relation to your experience and as a motivation for other companies?

Latvian companies should not perceive themselves as too small for the international organizations market. However, there must be a clear offer and evidence of experience. This must match what UN organizations are looking for and what they need. The value of such forums comes not only during the event, but mainly afterwards — how professionally the company continues the conversations and turns the contacts into concrete opportunities. As with other forums, the value during the event is gained more from networking and not so much from presentations. Presentations are available to the public.

Participation in the event was supported within the framework of the INGOs project.