Call for projects (from 1 September to 15 November 2026)
11th UNECE International PPP Forum (May 2027)
The UNECE secretariat is organising a competition[1] for the best PPP and infrastructure projects that contribute to resilience and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at the 11th UNECE International PPP Forum in May 2027.
This competition will showcase the best PPP and infrastructure projects that demonstrate resilience characteristics, such as, but not limited to: strengthening preparedness for and the ability to withstand, respond to and recover from shocks and stresses; addressing climate-related, environmental, economic, social, technological and other risks; ensuring the continuity of essential infrastructure and public services; applying innovative, flexible and adaptive solutions throughout the project life cycle; protecting vulnerable people and communities; enhancing institutional and community capacities; and supporting sustainable, inclusive and resilient development in line with the SDGs.
To participate in the competition, please fill in the following form.
Details of the competition
A call for projects: everyone is welcome to submit their PPP and infrastructure projects. This call is especially made to PPP units, government agencies, companies, lenders, NGOs, academia and international organisations, and is looking for PPP and infrastructure projects at various stages of development (design, construction and operation phases) that contribute to resilience and that can help achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
Initial submission: The first step is for Participants to indicate their interest in entering the competition by completing and submitting a simple online form by 15 November 2026. All entries will be duly reviewed by the UNECE secretariat, and all completed submissions complying with the Terms and Conditions will be invited to the next step.
Detailed submission: The next step is for invited Participants to submit the following information by 28 February 2027:
- The UNECE PIERS methodology (in its Self-assessment form in Excel) for the project;
- Slides on the project according to a UNECE template;
- Additional information on the contribution of the project to resilience (the UNECE secretariat will provide a number of simple questions to this effect);
- A short video on the project (optional); and
- Any supporting documentation: links to published information about the projects’ procurement and/or audit and monitoring (if available).[2]
The selection process: The International Jury,[3] composed of top international infrastructure experts, will review and select the projects that will be showcased at the 11th UNECE International PPP Forum in May 2027.
Projects’ presentation: The finalists will present their projects at the Forum in May 2027 in the presence of the International Jury.
Voting: The International Jury will shortlist those projects that best contribute to resilience. The shortlisted projects will be submitted to the participants in the Forum to select the winners through voting[4] during the Forum.
Award Ceremony: the winners will be announced during the award ceremony at the Forum in May 2027.
Prizes: The top-ranking projects will receive a commemoration trophy or plaque and a letter of recognition/certificate from the UNECE secretariat acknowledging their achievement and ranking.
Terms and Conditions
- By entering the UNECE PPP and infrastructure award 2027 (hereafter referred to as the “Competition”), you warrant that all information submitted by you is true, up to date and complete. The secretariat of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE, “the Organizer”) reserves the right to verify the eligibility of all participants.
- By entering the Competition, you accept the present Terms and Conditions.
- No purchase or payment of any kind is required to participate in this Competition.
- The Competition is open to PPP units, government agencies, private sector, lenders, NGOs, academia and international organisations to submit infrastructure projects at various stages of development (design, construction and operation phases) that contribute to resilience and help achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
- Entries must be submitted electronically.
- The individual submitting the project must be a legitimate representative of his/her Government, private company or organization. The Organizer reserves the right to determine what constitutes legitimate representation. Such determination shall not be subject to recourse.
- The Organizer does not provide any equipment or technical/communication infrastructure necessary to create and submit an entry to the Competition.
- Participants must not be staff members of UNECE or members of a UNECE staff member’s family or household, nor have been offered future employment with UNECE.
- Participants may submit more than one entry, provided that entries submitted by the same participant are not substantially similar. The Organizer reserves the right to determine what constitutes ‘substantial similarity’ to decide if a submission is related to and aligned with the fields of interests of UNECE; its decision shall be final and not be subject to recourse.
- The deadline for initial submission is 15 November 2026 (24.00 CET) and for the detailed submission is 28 February 2027 (24.00 CET).
- All entries must be submitted in English.
- All entries must: a. respect the intellectual property rights of third parties; b. be compliant with applicable laws; c. not depict, or incite, hatred; defame; abuse; harass; threaten a specific person or social or religious group, or incite violence or conflict; d. fully respect the legal rights of third parties.
- Award: Finalists will be invited to present their proposals at the UNECE International PPP Forum in May 2027. The International Jury and Forum participants will vote for the winning projects and an official award ceremony will be held at the Forum in May 2027. The winners will receive a commemoration trophy or plaque and a letter of recognition/certificate from the Organizer.
- All participants will retain the intellectual property rights on the contents of their submissions. However, by entering the Competition, each participant grants the Organizer a non-exclusive, universal, royalty-free license to use, reproduce, communicate, demonstrate, make available for public display and distribute the content of his/her submission for the Organizer’s promotional, informational and educational or awareness purposes, via printed or digital or online media, including the Organizer’s website. The participant hereby warrants that he/she is legally entitled to grant such license to the Organizer.
- Finalists shall allow the Organizer to use their names and/or photographs for promotional and awareness purposes in any media, worldwide, at no cost to the Organizer and without remuneration for the participants. Finalists who do not present their project at the 11th UNECE International PPP Forum will be disqualified and not be considered for the Award.
- By entering the Competition, participants agree to release and hold harmless the Organizer from and against any and all claims, expenses, and liability, including but not limited to, negligence and damages of any kind to persons and property, infringement of trademark, copyright or other intellectual property rights arising out of or relating to their participation in the Competition and the contents of their submissions.
- The Organizer reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to disqualify any submission which does not comply with the present Terms and Conditions and the spirit of the Competition. Any decision to remove an entry is final and not subject to appeal.
- The Organizer is not responsible for lost, late, corrupted, mutilated or misdirected submissions, or submissions not received within the deadlines specified above.
- Participants to the competition are not allowed to use the UN name and emblem or other branding elements on material that was produced by them.
- The Organizer shall have the right, at its sole discretion, to abbreviate, modify, suspend, cancel or terminate the Competition without any future obligation, by notifying the participants via an announcement at www.unece.org.
- Nothing in the present Terms and Conditions shall be deemed a limitation or a waiver, explicit or implicit, of the privileges and immunities of the United Nations.
[1] In line with the Outline of the programme of work of the Economic Cooperation and Integration Subprogramme for 2026-2028.
[2] This additional information will help the International Jury in its selection process.
[3] More information on the composition of the International Jury will be communicated by the UNECE secretariat nearer to the date of the Forum.
[4] More information on the voting will be provided by the UNECE secretariat nearer to the date of the Forum.
