Public procurement during the pandemic: experience of India and China

Abstract

Purpose The paper examines the public procurement experiences of India and China during the Covid-19 pandemic and locates them in a framework it proposes. The paper aims to enrich the knowledge of how public procurement could be strategically used in emergencies. Design/methodology/approach For the two countries, the paper sieved through government orders and notifications promulgated during and for the pandemic, examined the prevailing laws and statutes that were invoked and comprehensively scanned online news portals to gather evidence. In addition, the author also engaged with select, relevant people in the sector who offered useful information about ground-level scenario. Findings It is found that as compared to China, in India (a) despite the presence of significant flexibilities, (b) there was a little divergence from standard procurement practices, perhaps explained by (c) weaker governance capacity and legitimacy, (c) more allocative (rather than structural) goals of procurement and (d) higher levels of centralization. Research limitations/implications The findings of this paper are based entirely on secondary evidence limited to health care as a category of spend. This paper looks at two large countries and not their internal variations in procurement quality. The framework can also be enriched further by drawing additional categories to make the theoretical framework more promising. Practical implications The underlying design and motivation of public procurement policies in India need significant changes to make procurement policies responsive to disasters. Also, one can learn decentralization during emergency from the otherwise centralized politics in China. Originality/value To the best of the author’s knowledge, this paper is the first attempt to compare pandemic procurement-related policies of the two large countries across the Himalayan border. It also attempts to develop a scale/framework on which emergency procurement in countries can be assessed.

Availability of essential medicines during the COVID-19 pandemic: A qualitative study examining experiences and level of preparedness in Kenya

“…This diversified strategy would be complementary, ensuring the procurement and distribution of essential medicines, even in times of crisis. Literature denotes that harmonization and collaboration by these sectors can reduce stock-outs and optimize availability of essential medicines through ways such as through pooled procurement and innovative supply chain models [ 31 – 34 ].…”

Public procurement initiatives during the Covid-19 pandemic and lessons learned: the case study of Greece

“…The study's findings echoed that in cases of force majeure, central procurement should be conducted by Central procurement authorities to consolidate the needs, minimise the rivalry among the buyers and achieve better contractual prices, which is consistent with the findings of Handfield et al (2021). Similar policies were adopted in India to improve public procurement processes (Goyal, 2022). The study’s findings suggest that contracting authorities should collaborate in the case of force majeure, which is consistent with the findings of Harland et al (2021).…”

Research Trends in Resilience and Vulnerability Studies

“…While government in China is typically thought to be centralized, Goyal [37] made the case that even with centralization, there is considerable variation in local government experience and experimentation; when shocks and crises occurred, central government favored allowing some latitude to local governments to address crises, showing a certain resilience in adaptability amid the fragmentation.…”