Foundations of public procurement

Public procurement is a core function of public administration. The act of government purchasing ties directly to the basic social contract between the state and the public. The state employs resources obtained through taxation to purchase goods and services that are to be used in the public interest. The fiduciary responsibility to be good stewards of public resources while wielding this purchasing power is inherent to public service. The enormous magnitude of resources engaged in public procurement reflects the scale of this responsibility. As new researchers approach questions relating to government purchasing, it is important to develop a familiarity with the foundations of inquiry in this area. This chapter is organized around five topics that provide context for many of the problems and questions in the fields of public procurement and contract management. In combination with the subsequent two chapters of this book, this is intended to provide a helpful start for research on procurement systems.