Learning objectives
Upon completion of this course, the student is able to:
- Critically understand and analyze strategic procurement decisions made by governments in order to support policy objectives related to environmental sustainability, social progress, and economic growth;
- Research, discuss, conclude and make recommendations for the specific public procurement topics and developments discussed in the course;
- Develop and/or analyze a purchasing strategy, a specification, and make supplier selection, negotiation decisions;
- Write and present a bid based on certain procurement decisions.
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Format
The course consists of five weekly sessions and a final exam in the last week. From week 2, students are asked to present and discuss short group assignments related to the teaching materials of the week before. The lectures are meant to guide students through the literature, with additional tutorials to apply some of the theory and models.
Besides the short assignments, groups of students are asked to write an academic blog about a course related topic. This is an opinion-based writing, supported with theory and empirical findings.
Assessment method
- Academic blog (40%)
- Presentations about assignments (10%)
- An end-of-term individual exam on the content of the lectures as well as relevant additional materials (articles, slides, etc.) covered during lectures. The exam consists of multiple-choice and open questions (50%)
Course materials
There will be several academic articles and assignments to prepare and discuss for each session. Check the course schedule and references at the end of the course manual. Additional course materials need to be downloaded through the UU Library, links will be provided via Blackboard.
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Contents
With the help of public procurement, a major impact can be made on our society. Every year, governments purchase for billions of euros. This is not so much about the purchase of pens and pencils, but rather about the purchase of, for example, works, ICT services, health care, public transport and even preordering Corona vaccines. The way in which all of this is purchased can vary enormously within and between countries: from purchasing on the basis of lowest price only to purchasing while taking into account the achievement of policy objectives related to environmental sustainability, social progress, and economic growth (e.g. entrepreneurship, innovation, market development, etc.).
One of the key questions in this course is how procurement objectives can be realized efficiently and effectively. What does and does not work well under different circumstances: what, for example, are successful methods for including policy objectives in public tenders? How can governments effectively organize procurement? What possibilities for effective and efficient procurement processes are allowed by procurement laws? How should suppliers respond to public tenders? Et cetera.
This course is intended to provide an overview, an appreciation of the relevance of public procurement, especially in relation to achieving the policy objectives mentioned above. The course is not intended to teach you how to become an operational purchasing officer. It is intended for you to understand procurement as a management, environmental, social and economic issue, mostly from a buying perspective, but also from a supplying perspective.
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