Malaysian experience with public-private partnership: Managing unsolicited proposal

Purpose Lack of competition in procurement processes may affect the sustainable procurement due to overpriced and low-quality infrastructure. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the current practices in Malaysian public-private partnership (PPP) in handling unsolicited proposals within PPP and to suggest ways in which the practices can be improved to achieve sustainability. Design/methodology/approach Case study was conducted within which 13 semi-structured interviews were carried out with different groups: the policy makers, the practitioners and the experts. The study also scrutinised published guidelines and relevant regulations used by in management of unsolicited proposals in Malaysian PPP. Findings The Government of Malaysia welcomes unsolicited proposals from the private sector, even though it does not publish any established mechanisms to handle such proposals. Lack of competition in unsolicited proposals is a major concern in achieving sustainable goals of procurement. This could be addressed by introducing a competitive element to unsolicited proposals. Originality/value There are limited study and reports on the implementation of unsolicited proposals by the Malaysian Government. Besides adding to the literature, this paper reveals the management of unsolicited proposals. Most importantly, it is useful in assisting potential Malaysian PPP stakeholders and investors in what to expect, based on findings from the actual practice.