Considering that about 15 percent of global gross domestic product flows through public
procurement systems, the lack of systematic evidence on what works in this field is a major …

We run a regression discontinuity design analysis to document the causal effect of
increasing buyers' discretion on procurement outcomes in a large database for public works …

The EU procurement directives stipulate that public contracts be awarded to the lowest
bidder or to the bidder with the economically most advantageous tender; the latter requiring …

This paper presents evidence on the perverse trade-off that first price auctions induce
between low prices at the awarding stage and poor ex post performance when bids are not …

Cost overruns are an endemic feature of the provision of transport infrastructure worldwide.
In recent decades, a considerable amount of studies has been devoted to assessing the …

We study entry and bidding in procurement auctions where contracts are awarded to the bid
closest to a trimmed average bid. These auctions, common in public procurement, create …

Disputes over penalties for breaching a contract are often resolved in court. A simple model
illustrates how inefficient courts can sway public buyers from enforcing a penalty for late …

This article contrasts two auction formats often used in public procurement: first price
auctions with ex post screening of bid responsiveness and average bid auctions (ABAs), in …

Public procurement is said to account for between 15 and 20 percent of the GDP of most
countries. 2 The allocation of these funds brings to the fore a vast array of interests, both …

In the construction industry, it is crucial for owners to select the appropriate contract delivery
method to achieve best performance on their projects. The low-bid method has been the …