Who are the PCP WISE partners driving innovation in water management and climate resilience across Europe through Pre-Commercial Procurement?
Our Partner Interview Series highlights the leading organisations in the PCP WISE consortium, showcasing their expertise, contributions, and key roles in the project.
Each partner also shares its vision of how PCP WISE advances the European Green Deal’s objectives—whether by leveraging Environmental Observation (EO) data to tackle critical challenges or pioneering innovative governance and procurement approaches like PCP.
🔍 Discover our latest interview to learn more about Het Waterschapshuis and its impact!
Briefly introduce your organisation
The Waterschapshuis is a coordinating organisation that connects and facilitates. The Waterschapshuis does not take over tasks from the 21 Dutch water authorities but acts as a central hub, ensuring they benefit from collaboration in digital transformation. For example, The Waterschapshuis manages the procurement and contract administration of shared information systems and data. Additionally, The Waterschapshuis supports water authorities in navigating digital changes and their impact on daily operations.
Introduce the team working on PCP WISE within your organisation
Arnoud Gringhuis – Procurement & Contract Manager
For over four years, Arnoud has worked at Het Waterschapshuis within the Procurement Team, gaining extensive experience in procurement and the Dutch water sector. He oversees the Tender process and Open Market Consultation with his team.
Besime Aydin – Corporate Lawyer
Besime is a corporate lawyer at Het Waterschapshuis. As a legal advisor for the WISE project, she works closely with procurement advisors. She specialises in procurement and contract law and has held legal roles in various governments.
Joost Buntsma – Lead Procurer
As Lead Procurer for Het Waterschapshuis, Joost chairs the Procurement Evaluation Board and the Technical and Financial Committees. With a background in civil engineering, he has held roles in two provinces, the Ministry of Infrastructure, and STOWA.
What is your organisation’s role in the project? What unique contribution does it bring to the PCP WISE?
Het Waterschapshuis (hWh), as the Lead Procurer, is responsible for the full execution of Work Package 4: PCP Implementation. This means that hWh oversees the establishment, coordination, and management of the Pre-Commercial Procurement (PCP) process.
To what extent do you think PCP WISE will contribute to enhance Europe’s ability to adapt to and mitigate the effect of climate change?
Het Waterschapshuis believes PCP-WISE will significantly enhance Europe’s ability to adapt to and mitigate climate change by driving innovation in water management. By leveraging satellite data, digital solutions, and cross-border collaboration, the program helps water authorities better anticipate and respond to droughts, floods, and extreme weather. PCP-WISE accelerates the development of smart, scalable technologies, ensuring sustainable and resilient water systems across Europe. Through this initiative, we strengthen climate adaptation and water security for the future.
To what extent do you think Environmental Observation (EO) and Innovation Procurement (IP) can help develop innovative solutions for water management and climate resilience across Europe?
Het Waterschapshuis believes that Environmental Observation (EO) and Innovation Procurement (IP) play a crucial role in developing innovative solutions for water management and climate resilience across Europe. EO provides real-time, data-driven insights into water systems, enabling better forecasting and response to climate challenges. IP fosters collaboration between public authorities and technology providers, accelerating the development and implementation of smart, scalable solutions. By combining EO and IP, Europe can enhance climate adaptation, optimise resource management, and strengthen water resilience.
