Participatory action research approach to public sector procurement selection

Love, P.E.D. and Edwards, D.J. and Irani, Z. and Sharif, A. (2012) Participatory action research approach to public sector procurement selection. Journal of Construction Engineering and Management, 138 (3). pp. 311-322. ISSN 07339364 (ISSN)

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Abstract

Selecting an appropriate procurement method to deliver supply chain efficiencies can reduce the costs of public sector projects by an average of 5%. Despite the considerable practical experience of Australian governments in the public sector, little agreement exists about how to effectively select an approach to deliver social infrastructure (e.g.,schools, hospitals, museums, and prisons). Determining the optimal procurement approach for social infrastructure is a challenging task considering the array of procurement methods available and the criteria that must be assessed. Methods for procurement selection that have been developed are prescriptive and unable to deal with the complex and changing needs of public sector clients. As a result, a robust procurement selection process is developed and examined using a participatory action research. Focus groups, comprised of key stakeholders involved with delivering an educational project, examined the approach's applicability and use in determining a suitable procurement method. Participants overwhelmingly supported the outcome, albeit a small minority who had limited wider exposure to alternative methods initially perceived their bastion (i.e.,a default traditional lump sum [TLS]) to be a credible option. Indeed, those participants with limited knowledge procured almost 95% of social infrastructure projects using a TLS and did not adopt a formal procurement method selection approach. Application of the approach presented in this paper, by the public sector agency responsible for delivering its social infrastructure projects, provides a clear indication of demonstrable impact. The procurement approach that is produced enables decision makers to constantly reevaluate outcomes in the form of recommendations that are grounded in practice, reflection, and detailed evaluation. © 2012 American Society of Civil Engineers.

Item Type: Article
Identification Number: https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)CO.1943-7862.0000440
Dates:
DateEvent
March 2012Published
Uncontrolled Keywords: Australia, Decision making, Procurement, Public sector, Risk, Risk management, Social infrastructure, Alternative methods, Australia, Decision makers, Educational projects, Focus groups, Participatory action research, Practical experience, Procurement, Procurement methods, Public sector, Public sector agencies, Public-sector projects, Selection process, Social infrastructure, Social infrastructure projects, Supply chain efficiency, Decision making, Risks, Supply chains, Risk management
Subjects: CAH10 - engineering and technology > CAH10-01 - engineering > CAH10-01-07 - civil engineering
CAH13 - architecture, building and planning > CAH13-01 - architecture, building and planning > CAH13-01-01 - architecture
CAH13 - architecture, building and planning > CAH13-01 - architecture, building and planning > CAH13-01-02 - building
CAH13 - architecture, building and planning > CAH13-01 - architecture, building and planning > CAH13-01-04 - planning (urban, rural and regional)
Divisions: Faculty of Computing, Engineering and the Built Environment > College of Built Environment
Depositing User: Hussen Farooq
Date Deposited: 21 Jul 2016 09:46
Last Modified: 20 Jun 2024 11:47
URI: https://www.open-access.bcu.ac.uk/id/eprint/2285

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