On June 15–17, 2026, the STOK Hotel in Wisła hosted the 17th edition of the Public Procurement School—an educational event organized by the Mining Chamber of Industry and Commerce, which for years has served as an important forum for the exchange of knowledge, experiences, and best practices in the field of public procurement law. This year’s conference once again brought together a large group of participants representing both the contracting authority sector and contractors, including representatives of the mining industry, mining-related sectors, and other sectors of the economy.

For seventeen years, the Public Procurement School has remained a key event on the training calendar dedicated to public procurement. Its strength lies in combining a high level of substantive expertise with the practical nature of the presentations, as well as the opportunity for direct exchange of experiences between participants and experts. The program for this year’s edition included topics of particular importance from the perspective of the day-to-day practices of contracting authorities and contractors—ranging from the rules for estimating contract value, through issues of fair competition, to new obligations related to the Central Register of Contracts, risks arising from the use of artificial intelligence, and issues concerning the exclusion of contractors from procurement proceedings.

This year’s Public Procurement School program was led by renowned experts in the fields of public procurement law, personal data protection, contract practice, and the management of procurement proceedings. The lecturers included: Attorney Dariusz Ziembiński of the law firm Dariusz Ziembiński & Partners, Attorney Jarosław Jerzykowski of the law firm Jerzykowski and Partners Legal Advisors, Ewa Dziedziela-Suliga from the National Center for Research and Development, attorney Agnieszka Zaborowska from ZABOROWSKA Law Firm, and attorney Maciej Gnela from the University of Economics in Kraków.

Opening of the event and inaugural lecture by a representative of the Public Procurement Office (UZP)

The conference was opened by Sławomir Obidziński, Vice President of the Board of the Mining Chamber of Industry and Commerce, who highlighted the event’s long-standing tradition and its significance for the public procurement community. He noted that although the Public Procurement School has been closely tied to the mining and mining-related industries from the very beginning, it also attracts representatives from other sectors year after year. This attests to the conference’s growing prominence and the universal nature of the issues discussed.

In his remarks, the Vice President of the GIPH Board of Directors also noted that the organizers strive each year to ensure that the School’s program addresses current market challenges and the real needs of participants. He also emphasized the importance of selecting experts, who have been one of the event’s most significant assets for years.

The Minister of Energy, Mr. Miłosz Motyka, and the President of the Public Procurement Office, Ms. Agnieszka Olszewska, have assumed honorary patronage of this year’s Public Procurement School.

A highlight of the first day of the conference was the opening lecture by Marcin Kalmus, Director of the Appeals Office at the Public Procurement Office, on options and contract extensions as tools for flexible contract management. This topic generated significant interest among participants, as it addresses one of the key challenges in public procurement practice—drafting contracts appropriately to enable a response to changing conditions during contract performance.

Public Procurement in Practice – Non-EU Contractors, Contractual Penalties, and Exclusion from the Procurement Process

The first day of the Public Procurement School was also devoted to issues concerning the participation of contractors from outside the European Union in public procurement procedures. Attorney Jarosław Jerzykowski discussed this topic, highlighting the practical aspects of such entities’ participation in the procedures and the consequences that may arise from current regulations and case law.

Attorney Jarosław Jerzykowski’s next presentation focused on contractual penalties and termination of a contract as grounds for excluding a contractor from a procurement procedure. The lecture was of particular importance to both contracting authorities and contractors, as it addressed situations in which prior issues with contract performance may affect the ability to participate in future procurement procedures. Participants had the opportunity to examine this topic not only from a legal perspective but also through the lens of practical risks associated with documenting, assessing, and interpreting past contractual events.

Day Two of the Conference: Fair Competition, AI, GDPR, and Dividing Contracts into Lots

The second day of the event began with a presentation by attorney Dariusz Ziembiński, who discussed acts of unfair competition aimed at securing a contract. This was one of the topics of particular importance from the perspective of ensuring the transparency of procurement procedures and protecting the principles of equal treatment of contractors. The speaker highlighted situations in which actions taken by contractors may violate the principles of fair competition, as well as the practical consequences of such violations in tender procedures.

Next, Ewa Dziedziela-Suliga addressed the issue of artificial intelligence and the GDPR in public procurement. Her presentation focused on the obligations and risks faced by both contracting authorities and contractors. This topic is becoming particularly significant due to the increasingly widespread use of digital tools and AI-based solutions in organizational, analytical, and documentation processes. The presentation allowed participants to view artificial intelligence not only as a tool for streamlining work but also as an area requiring a responsible approach, compliance monitoring, and legal awareness.

The next segment of the program was led by attorney Dariusz Ziembiński, who discussed the issue of dividing a contract into lots. The speaker addressed one of the most frequently asked questions in public procurement practice: when is splitting a contract a desirable solution that promotes competition, and when might it give rise to organizational, procedural, or legal risks? The presentation was practical in nature and addressed real-world dilemmas faced by those preparing procurement proceedings.

A discussion on self-cleansing and hands-on workshops for participants

A highlight of the second day of the conference was a debate titled “Convincing Self-Purification,” featuring attorneys Dariusz Ziembiński and Agnieszka Zaborowska. The discussion was moderated by attorney Maciej Gnela. The participants analyzed the issue of a contractor’s self-cleaning as a mechanism allowing it to demonstrate reliability despite prior circumstances that could constitute grounds for exclusion from the proceedings.

The discussion revealed that effective self-remediation requires not only the formal submission of specific documents but, above all, a convincing demonstration of genuine corrective, organizational, and preventive measures. This is a particularly important topic for contractors, but also for contracting authorities, who must properly assess whether the explanations and evidence provided are sufficient.

Following the debate, a practical workshop led by attorney Agnieszka Zaborowska was held, focusing on the contract value as the basis for selecting the procurement procedure. The workshop format of this part of the program allowed participants to organize their knowledge regarding the proper estimation of the contract value and its significance for selecting the appropriate procedure. This is one of the cornerstones of proper procurement preparation, and at the same time, an area where errors can lead to serious formal consequences.

The second day concluded with a presentation by attorney Maciej Gnela on the description of the subject matter of the contract and the principle of fair competition. The speaker discussed the limits of permissible technical specifications, emphasizing the need to formulate requirements in such a way that, on the one hand, they meet the contracting authority’s actual needs and, on the other hand, do not lead to an unjustified restriction of competition.

Central Register of Contracts and Contractor-Specific Documents

The final day of the Public Procurement School was devoted, among other things, to the new obligations for the public finance sector related to the Central Register of Contracts. The topic was presented by attorney Agnieszka Zaborowska, who discussed the significance of the new regulations and their practical implications for entities required to comply with disclosure obligations.

The conference concluded with a workshop led by attorney Maciej Gnela on contractor-specific documents—their content, form, and verification. This was a practical session focused on one of the most important stages of the procurement process: the evaluation of documents submitted by contractors. Participants had the opportunity to consolidate their knowledge regarding formal requirements, methods for verifying documentation, and the most common issues that arise in this area.

Experts, partners, and the significance of the event

The three-day conference demonstrated that public procurement remains a field that requires not only knowledge of the regulations, but also the ability to apply them in practice, properly assess risks, and keep abreast of legal and organizational changes. This year’s edition of the Public Procurement School confirmed that the event continues to address the real needs of the market by combining expert knowledge with the experience of practitioners.

For participants, it was an opportunity to gain up-to-date knowledge, compare their own experiences with those of experts, and discuss issues that are directly relevant to their daily work in the field of public procurement. For the organizers, it was further proof that the Public Procurement School remains an important meeting place for contracting authorities, contractors, and consultants.

The event was made possible thanks to the support of our partners. Special thanks were extended to the Silver Partner: Fabryka Maszyn i Urządzeń “OMAG” Sp. z o.o., the Bronze Partner: Fabryka Taśm Transporterowych WOLBROM S.A., as well as to the other partners: Centrum Badań i Dozoru Górnictwa Sp. z o.o., the Central Institute of Mining, and the FASING S.A. Capital Group’s Mining Equipment and Tools Factories.