Advance Public Procurment
Chapter 1
Advancing Public Procurement:
Practices, Innovation and Knowledge Sharing
Khi V. Thai
INTRODUCTION
Public procurement is continuing to evolve both conceptually and organizationally. That evolution accelerated during the 1990s as governments at all levels came under increasing pressures to “do more with less.” Indeed, all governmental entities of rich and poor countries are struggling in the face of: unrelenting budget constraints; government downsizing; public demand for increased transparency in public procurement; and greater concerns about efficiency, fairness and equity. Additionally, public procurement professionals have faced a constantly changing environment typified by rapidly emerging technologies, increasing product choice, environment concerns, and the complexities of international and regional trading agreements.
Further, policy makers have increasingly used public procurement as a tool to achieve socioeconomic goals.
In this environment, public procurement has become much more complex than ever before, and public procurement officials must deal with a broad range of issues. They have been walking on a tight rope in: - Balancing the dynamic tension between (a) competing socioeconomic objectives, and (b) national economic interests and global competition as required by regional and international trade agreements;
- Satisfying the requirements of fairness, equity and transparency;
- Maintaining an overarching focus on maximizing competition; and
- Utilizing new technology to enhance procurement efficiency,
including e-procurement and purchase cards.
2
THAI
CONTENTS OF THE BOOK
Twenty-one studies or papers (hereafter called “chapters”) were selected, via a rigorous peer review process, on the basis of scholarship. Thus, it is expected that they cover a variety of research issues. However, three major procurement issues have been the focuses of fourteen chapters: procurement partnership and
Advancing Public Procurement:
Practices, Innovation and Knowledge Sharing
Khi V. Thai
INTRODUCTION
Public procurement is continuing to evolve both conceptually and organizationally. That evolution accelerated during the 1990s as governments at all levels came under increasing pressures to “do more with less.” Indeed, all governmental entities of rich and poor countries are struggling in the face of: unrelenting budget constraints; government downsizing; public demand for increased transparency in public procurement; and greater concerns about efficiency, fairness and equity. Additionally, public procurement professionals have faced a constantly changing environment typified by rapidly emerging technologies, increasing product choice, environment concerns, and the complexities of international and regional trading agreements.
Further, policy makers have increasingly used public procurement as a tool to achieve socioeconomic goals.
In this environment, public procurement has become much more complex than ever before, and public procurement officials must deal with a broad range of issues. They have been walking on a tight rope in: - Balancing the dynamic tension between (a) competing socioeconomic objectives, and (b) national economic interests and global competition as required by regional and international trade agreements;
- Satisfying the requirements of fairness, equity and transparency;
- Maintaining an overarching focus on maximizing competition; and
- Utilizing new technology to enhance procurement efficiency,
including e-procurement and purchase cards.
2
THAI
CONTENTS OF THE BOOK
Twenty-one studies or papers (hereafter called “chapters”) were selected, via a rigorous peer review process, on the basis of scholarship. Thus, it is expected that they cover a variety of research issues. However, three major procurement issues have been the focuses of fourteen chapters: procurement partnership and
References: Araujo, A. (2004). “Procurement Capacity Building in Developing Countries.” Paper presented at the 1st International Public Procurement Conference, October 21-23, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA.