Supplying the pandemic response: The importance of public procurement

Abstract

The rapid global transmission of COVID-19 has demonstrated many weaknesses in government procurement of essential supplies. In the United States, these problems have been particularly evident, as systemic fragmentation through federalism has frustrated a coordinated response. Rather than working together, states and localities are competing over limited medical resources, while the federal government has not stepped in to alleviate burdens on the lower tiers of government. In this study, we introduce how procurement is managed under normal circumstances and how it changes during emergencies. Easing procurement rules comes with necessary tradeoffs, particularly involving equity and accountability. Using case studies from recent disasters, we identify procurement and management recommendations for the COVID-19 response and future emergencies. We conclude that public procurement is integral to effective management in the 21st century and must be treated as such in the study and practice of public administration and emergency management.

Human Capital Drivers of Employee Intent to Innovate: The Case of Public Procurement Professionals

“…The study of procurement officials allows for controlling professional differences while capturing all types of public organizations. Recent research also recognizes the importance of procurement officials in promoting public values such as sustainability (e.g., see Abutabenjeh et al, 2021; Alkadry et al, 2019). Thus, the study of procurement officials in the human resources context is important regardless of generalizability to other professions, and additionally their broad demographic and contextual differences allows for insights that translate to other public sector employees.…”

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Social equity in federal contracting during emergencies: A portfolio management perspective

“…5121 et seq) allows the President of the United States to declare a national state of emergency and activate the terms of the Stafford Act to enable an immediate and effective response to the emergency (FEMA, 2021). This regulation includes the easing of strict procurement rules (Abutabenjeh et al, 2021) and, combined with the Federal Acquisition Regulation valid during normal times, defines the conditions that procurement procedures should consider during times of nationally declared emergencies to ensure equitable distribution of funding and to avoid amplifying economic and racial disparities (Donahue & Joyce, 2001). On the other hand, when emergencies occur, SDBEs can become an essential resource to support state and federal governments' needs when the supply of strategic goods and services becomes critical (Open Contracting Partnership, 2020).…”

Agility, adaptability, and alignment: new capabilities for PSM in a post-pandemic world

“…In the public domain, PSM can be slow (especially for urgently needed medical equipment). Governments realized they were dealing with outdated systems and lacked clear information and data, hindering their ability to be agile and save lives ( Abutabenjeh et al, 2020 ). PSM specialists needed to start thinking strategically about the entire supply chain and long-term production capacity rather than concentrating solely on transactions.…”