ABCtech #119 12Jun18 Is Procurement Broken Survey Results – Section B. Assessing Public Procurement Practices

ABCtech #119 12Jun18 Is Procurement Broken? Survey Results – Section B. Assessing Public Procurement Practices

Is public procurement in Alberta broken? You’ve spoken – both as contractors and administrators. Our May survey results are crystal clear: shortfalls in expectations and outcomes prevail. The systems may not be broken but they are clearly disappointing- particularly for small Alberta contractors.

$Billions are spent annually by governments – federal, provincial and municipal, engaging contractors in the supply of goods and services. Public procurement is a core government process, a source of huge economic opportunity and potential waste. We agree and hosted the May survey to learn your views of public procurement.

The survey results and recommendations are being released in four weekly installments:

Section A. (June 5th) Identified the respondents HERE

Today we are releasing HERE Section B. (June 12th) Assessing Procurement Practices.

Section C. Assessing Procurement Objectives is to be released June 19th and the concluding section D. (June 19th) Recommendations and the conclusion.

While personal responses are confidential, the data is open and may be requested HERE for inspection and the conduct of associated analysis.

The survey will also be the subject of a panel discussion at the Supply Chain Management Association’s Conference in September – see HERE.

Overview. Contractors value most highly the procurement practice features that are germane to preparing and winning a bid – the “primary” features.  Public incentives for social and economic development are “secondary” and less important. Incentives for innovation are valued, but the associated gap indicates that what is expected is not being received.

Significant other gaps in what is received vs expected are identified, particularly for primary procurement features. There is little difference in how contractors view the procurement practices of each level of government in Alberta and it’s public agencies.

The report identifies several defining characteristics of contractors with a declining interest in procurement compared with those with an increasing interest in Alberta’s public procurement.

Comments cited by contractors provide additional insight into the concerns of contractors with current procurement practices in Alberta.  Section D. will identify the views of contractors and administrators in their evaluation of the objectives of public procurement.

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