The Applied Law and Economics of Public Procurement


Book Description

This book explores Public Procurement novelties and challenges in an interdisciplinary way. The process whereby the public sector awards contracts to companies for the supply of works, goods or services is a powerful instrument to ensure the achievement of new public goals as well as an efficient use of public funds. This book brings together the papers that have been presented during the "First Symposium on Public Procurement", a conference held in Rome last summer and to be repeated again yearly. As Public Procurement touches on many fields (law, economics, political science, engineering) the editors have used an interdisciplinary approach to discuss four main topics of interest which represent the four different parts in which this book is divided: Competitive dialogue and contractual design fostering innovation and need analysis, Separation of selection and award criteria, including exclusion of reputation indicators like references to experience, performance and CV’s from award criteria, Retendering a contract for breach of procurement rules or changes to contract (contract execution), Set-asides for small and medium firms, as in the USA system with the Small Business Act that reserves shares of tenders to SMEs only.




Law and Economics of Public Procurement Reforms


Book Description

Appropriate laws and regulations are essential tools to direct the action of procurers toward the public good and avoid corruption and misallocation of resources. Common laws and regulations across regions, nations and continents potentially allow for the further opening of markets and ventures to newcomers and new ideas to satisfy public demand. Law and Economics of Public Procurement Reforms collects the original contributions related to the new European Union Directives approved in 2014 by the EU Parliament. They are of both economists and lawyers, and have been presented in a manner that allows for exchanges of views and "real time" interaction. This book features, for each section, an introductory exchange between two experts of different disciplines, made up of a series of sequential interactions between an economist and a lawyer, which enriches the liveliness of the debate and improve the mutual understanding between the two professions. Four sections characterize this book: Supporting social considerations via public procurement; Green public procurement; Innovation through innovative partnerships; and Lots - The Economic and Legal Challenges of Centralized Procurement. These themes have current relevance of the new European Public Procurement Directives. Written by an impressive array of experts in their respected fields, this volume is of great importance to practitioners who work in the field of EU public procurement in the Member States of the EU, as well as academics and students who study public finance, public policy and regulation.




Cartels, Competition and Public Procurement


Book Description

ÔThis volume is long overdue. Integrated legal and economic analysis of competition law is crucial given the nature of the sector. However to carry this off successfully, one either needs intensive editorial work to bring different teams together; or one has to rely on the few who master both economic and legal analysis to a tee. Stefan WeishaarÕs analysis not only looks at a stubborn issue in competition law. He does so in three jurisdictions, in detailed yet clear fashion, with clear insight and ditto conclusions. Over and above its relevance to academic analysis, this book can go straight into competition authoritiesÕ decision making, and therefore also in compliance and remediation advice.Õ Ð Geert Van Calster, University of Leuven, Belgium Cartels, Competition and Public Procurement uses a law and economics approach to analyse whether competition and public procurement laws in Europe and Asia deal effectively with bid rigging conspiracies. Stefan Weishaar explores the ways in which economic theory can be used to mitigate the adverse effects of bid rigging cartels. The study sheds light on one of the vital issues for achieving cost-effective public procurement Ð which is itself a critical question in the context of the global financial crisis. The book comprehensively examines whether different laws deal effectively with bid rigging and the ways in which economic theory can be used to mitigate the adverse effects of such cartels. The employed industrial economics and auction theory highlights shortcomings of the law in all three jurisdictions Ð the European Union, China and Japan Ð and seeks to raise the awareness of policymakers as to when extra precautionary measures against bid rigging conspiracies should be taken. Students and researchers who have a keen interest in the relationship between law and economics, competition law and public procurement law will find this topical book invaluable. Practitioners can see how economic theory can be used to identify situations that lend themselves to bid rigging and policymakers will be informed about the shortcomings of existing legislation from a legal and economics perspective and will be inspired by approaches taken in different jurisdictions.




The Law and Economics of Framework Agreements


Book Description

This book addresses the increasing demand for a logical understanding of how framework agreement should be used and implemented.




The Economics and Law of Public Procurement


Book Description

Public procurement makes up a significant part of national economies: 10–25% of gross domestic product (GDP), depending on the country. Appropriate laws and regulations are an essential tool to direct the action of procurers towards the public good and avoid corruption and misallocation of resources, while at the same time sustaining progress and social goals. The original approach of this book combines juridical, economic, and technical expertise to find common terrain and a common language in order to debate the specific issues that affect public administrations across the world that need advancing and modernizing. The book features contributions across four specific themes of interest to the procurer’s day-to-day job in modern public purchasing organizations: preferences and political economy in public procurement, climate change, defence procurement, and human rights in public procurement. The aim is to let the new emerging trade-offs between competition and sustainability emerge, highlighting at the same time the possible synergies between the relevant policy objectives. The book takes into account sectoral specificities, reinforced by recent global events such as wars, natural disasters, and populism. The unique format features in each section an interdisciplinary debate between two experts across different disciplines who deliberate and engage one another so as to improve the mutual understanding across disciplines, followed by two additional contributions. This book will be of interest to scholars, researchers, and policymakers worldwide.




Green Public Procurement under WTO Law


Book Description

This book investigates the strategic use of public procurement as a way to establish “buying green” as a common practice – not only in the EU, but all over the world. However, imposing environmental requirements may affect the conditions of competition between suppliers, especially between local and foreign ones. This is particularly relevant for signatory states to the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA), a plurilateral WTO agreement that aims at liberalizing public procurement markets. So how can these countries strike a balance between trade concerns and using the environmental potential of public procurement? What scope does the GPA 2012 leave for environmental criteria and how are signatory states making use of it? The need for answers to these questions is becoming even more pressing with the increasing use of green public procurement (GPP). This book discusses approaches to finding legal solutions to this question, using a multilayered approach to do so: In a first step, an analysis of the pertinent GPA provisions serves to delineate the scope for GPP under WTO law. In a second step, an evaluation of the implementation of the respective provision at the regional and national level by the EU and Switzerland helps reveal the impact of the GPA on its signatory states. While the book chiefly focuses on the legal framework for GPP, it also takes into account the latest developments in jurisprudence and policy initiatives. It concludes by proposing practical solutions regarding the specific design of GPP policies and measures in compliance with the GPA. The comparative approach applied in the book, focusing on the implementation of the WTO/GPA by two selected signatories, makes it an informative and insightful resource for practitioners, policymakers and legal scholars from all GPA signatory countries, extending its relevance beyond the selected examples (the EU and Switzerland).




EU Public Procurement Law


Book Description

ïThe Second Edition of EU Public Procurement Law provides a comprehensive view of the policies, legislation and cases that define this area of law. Written from a pan-European perspective, it will be a useful guide for students and practitioners alike. As well as describing the public contracts, utilities and remedies directives, this work details the European cases that have shaped the law and the relationship between procurement law and other forms of regulation such as state aid. Of particular interest to the practitioner, there are specific sections on remedies, evaluation criteria and different forms of procurement such as services concessions, public-private partnerships and public-public partnerships.Í _ Hazel Grant, Partner, Bristows, London, UK Acclaim for first edition: ïThis book will serve as an essential resource for anyone interested in the legal regime of public procurement. It offers a comprehensive and topical analysis of EU law and its interaction with national law and policies in an area of growing economic importance.Í _ Ruth Nielsen, Copenhagen Business School, Denmark In this fully revised and updated edition, Christopher Bovis provides a detailed, critical, concise and accessible overview of the public procurement legal framework and its interaction with policies within the European Union and the its Member States. Public procurement represents an essential part of the Single Market project, launched by European Institutions in 2011. Its regulation will insert competition and transparency in the market and be a safeguard to the attainment of fundamental principles of the Treaties. This book demonstrates the impact of the relevant Directives on Member States through the development of the case law of the European Court of Justice and assesses the judicial review of public contracts at national level. It positions public procurement at the centre of the legal and policy debate surrounding the delivery of public services and the advancement of competitiveness and industrial policy in the EU. The book highlights the pivotal role of public procurement for the Europe 2020 Growth Strategy. Demonstrating the concepts and principles of public procurement, this comprehensive book will have a strong appeal to academic researchers, lawyers, judges, practitioners, and policymakers at the European, international and national levels as well as students of law, policy and management.




Reformation or Deformation of the EU Public Procurement Rules


Book Description

Using an innovative 'law and political science' methodology, this timely book carries out a critical assessment of the reform of the EU public procurement rules. It provides a rich account of the policy directions and the spaces for national regulatory decisions in the transposition of the 2014 Public Procurement Package, as well as areas of uncertainty and indications on how to interpret the rules in order to make them operational in practice. Most EU law research focuses on the content of rules and the impact of case law on their interpretation and application. It rarely discusses how the CJEU's case law influences the creation of new rules, or the way EU law-makers enact them - issues which, conversely, are a staple for political scientists. By blending both approaches this book finds that political science provides a useful framework to describe the law-making process and shows that the influence of the CJEU was significant. Though the specific case studies identify many reforms, the ultimate assessment is that EU public procurement law was deformed. Offering a clear contribution to the emerging scholarship on 'flexible' EU law-making, this book's novel methodology will appeal to scholars and students of both law and political science. Law- and policy-makers as well as legal practitioners will also find its practical approach compelling.--Résumé de l'éditeur.




Public Procurement and the EU Competition Rules


Book Description

Public procurement and competition law are both important fields of EU law and policy, intimately intertwined in the creation of the internal market. Hitherto their close connection has been noted, but not closely examined. This work is the most comprehensive attempt to date to explain the many ways in which these fields, often considered independent of one another, interact and overlap in the creation of the internal market. This process of convergence between competition and public procurement law is particularly apparent in the 2014 Directives on public procurement, which consolidate the principle of competition in terms very close to those advanced by the author in the first edition. This second edition builds upon this approach and continues to ask how competition law principles inform and condition public procurement rules, and whether the latter (in their revised form) are adequate to ensure that competition is not distorted. The second edition also deepens the analysis of the market behaviour of the public buyer from a competition perspective. Proceeding through a careful assessment of the general rules of competition and public procurement, the book constantly tests the efficacy of these rules against a standard of the proper functioning of undistorted competition in the market for public procurement. It also traces the increasing relevance of competition considerations in the case law of the Court of Justice of the European Union and sets out criteria and recommendations to continue influencing the development of EU Economic Law.




Legal Aspects of Public Procurement


Book Description

Legal Aspects of Public Procurement, Third Edition provides a glimpse into the relationships between the legal, ethical, and professional standards of public procurement, outlining not only the interconnections of federal, state, and local law but also best practice under comprehensive judicial standards. The book addresses the ever-changing legal structures that work in conjunction and define the public procurement profession, providing recommended guidance for how practitioners can engage in the function while staying ethically aligned. Instead of trying to address every issue at the heart of public procurement, however, the book seeks to establish the history and spirit of the law, outlining how practitioners can engage proactively and willingly to not only perform their function, but to also become advocates for procurement law modernization. This third edition features new chapters on competitive sealed proposals and contract administration, as well as a thoroughly revised and updated chapter on procurement of information technology to better relate to an increasingly digital world. Promoting a start-to-finish guidance of the procurement process, Legal Aspects of Public Procurement explores the relationships between solicitation, proposals, contract administration, and the cutting-edge aspects of technology procurements, providing a theoretical and case-study driven foundation for novice and veteran practitioners alike.