Evaluating the procurement documents of Dutch water boards portfolio: A step towards more reliable public clients

Molaei, M; Koops, L and Hermans, M (2022) Evaluating the procurement documents of Dutch water boards portfolio: A step towards more reliable public clients. In: Tutesigensi, A and Neilson, C J (eds.) Proceedings of 38th Annual ARCOM Conference, 5-7 September 2022, Glasgow Caledonian University, Glasgow, UK.

Abstract

Although a considerable amount of literature has addressed the public procurement in the construction industry, still little is known about procurement in small and repetitive activities. In practice, however, public clients are often involved in repetitive tasks such as maintenance activities. Dutch water boards, regional governmental bodies responsible for providing water management services, are the focus of this study. For this research, three main procurement documents of the water boards were performed using content analysis. The aim is to evaluate these documents and to identify the typology of the repetitive activities and the procurement volume of these tasks from a portfolio perspective of the public client. Most of the contractors/suppliers involved in these activities are local Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs). The findings of the study indicate that insights into the typologies of these repetitive works and their expected volume over time delivers crucial value for the public procurer. Given the amount of repetitive works procured by public clients, creating such an insight to both clients as well as contractors can ultimately increase efficiency and improve investment opportunities.

Item Type: Conference Paper (Paper)
Uncontrolled Keywords: public client organization; public procurement; repetitive works; water construction; portfolio management
Index terms: documents, construction industry, public client, water construction, efficiency, portfolio management, water management, content analysis
Subjects: performance management, professional development, sociology, industry analysis, infrastructure and transport systems, environmental resource management, economic analysis, data analysis and analytics
Topics: Quality Management, Business Strategy, Research Practice, Engineering Principles, Information Management, Stakeholder Management, Sustainability
Descriptive scope: 4 PCTA

N.B. Descriptive scope is a count of how many of the five facets of empirical research are indicated by the words used in title, abstract and keywords. It is not intended as a judgement on the research; merely a count of the kind of word we would expect to indicate Phenomenon, Concepts, Theoretical framing, Empirical techniques, Analytical techniques. If all five are present, then a code of “5 PCTEA” will indicate this. If you feel the coding for this record is questionable, we welcome discussion around the terms we matched or the way we categorized them. The facet you would expect may not be coded, or a facet may be coded inappropriately. This can also bear on a larger question, of which facets should be treated as defining in construction management research. Please get in touch, and we will look at it. More details here