Procurement Policy Research Articles

Exploring the relationships among stocks of community wealth, state farm to school policies, and the intensity of farm to school activities

Farm to School (FTS) is a widely implemented public food procurement program in the U.S., and the number of state and Federal policies promoting it continue to grow. However, previous research has found inconclusive results associated with state-level policies. One reason may be that FTS adoption is associated with different stocks of community wealth (assets including human, social, and financial capital, net of liabilities). This research leverages the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s 2019 FTS Census, a new disaggregated database on state-level FTS policies, and a new comprehensive dataset of stocks of community wealth to assess this relationship. We find positive associations between cultural and social capital and FTS intensity (an index representing the extent of FTS participation), highlighting community assets that are often overlooked in community development programs. Further, we find that different types of state FTS policies are associated with FTS intensity; procurement policies have positive associations and education policies have negative associations. Results provide rationale for more nuanced consideration of local assets in prioritizing the types of FTS policy.

IMPLEMENTASI KEBIJAKAN PENGADAAN PEGAWAI PEMERINTAH DENGAN PERJANJIAN KERJA (PPPK) PADA GURU HONORER DI KOTA SUKABUMI TAHUN 2021

This study aims to find out how the implementation is implemented and find out what are the obstacles in the policy of procuring Government Employees with Work Agreements (PPPK) for honorary teachers in Sukabumi City. In order to approach this problem, the theoretical references of Donald S. Van Metter & Carl E. Van Horn are used, using 6 variables including a) Executor's size and objectives, b) Resources, c) Relationships between organizations, d) Characteristics of implementing organizations, e ) Social, political and economic conditions, f) Disposition of the executors. The data collected through observation, interviews, and documentation were analyzed qualitatively. The results of this study indicate that the implementation in Sukabumi City is running effectively and has no significant obstacles, the implementation of PPPK procurement policies in Sukabumi City has involved various parties who pay attention to the relevant parties, optimizing existing resources, maintaining inter-organizational relations, prioritizing the character of implementing organizations, conditions social, political, and economic, as well as maintaining the disposition of the executors.

Impact of Procurement Policy of Wheat on Farmers in District Khairpur Mir’s, Sindh, Pakistan

Impact of Procurement Policy of Wheat on Farmers in District Khairpur Mir’s, Sindh, Pakistan

Cost-effectiveness analysis of antiretroviral drugs for treatment-naive HIV infection in China

IntroductionDolutegravir (DTG)-based regimen was included in the expanded formulary of China's National Free Antiretroviral Treatment Program at the end of 2021. Yet high price of DTG and lack of health economic evaluation in China present barriers for implementation of the regimen. The study aims to investigate the lifetime cost-effectiveness of DTG-based regimen for treatment-naive HIV infection in China.MethodsA decision-analytic Markov model was used to obtain the costs and effectiveness of four regimens: Arm A, efavirenz (EFV)-based regimen; Arm B, DTG-based regimen; Arm C, elvitegravir/cobicistat/tenofovir alafenamide/emtricitabine (EVG/c/FTC/TAF) regimen; Arm D, abacavir/lamivudine/dolutegravir (ABC/3TC/DTG) regimen. The potential impact of national centralized drug procurement policy was assessed in scenario analysis. The results were further validated through sensitivity analysis.ResultsCompared with other three regimens, DTG-based regimen led to the fewest cumulative adverse reactions, opportunistic infections and deaths. Compared with EFV-based regimen, the base-case ICERs for DTG-based regimen were 13,357 (USD/QALY) and 13,424 (USD/QALY) from the healthcare system and societal perspective respectively. In the policy scenario analysis with the procurement price of DTG equal to that of LPV/r, DTG-based regimen would be dominant. The model results remained robust in sensitivity analyses.ConclusionsDTG-based regimen for treatment-naive patients is likely to be cost-effective and deserve wider implementation in China. This study strongly suggests the centralized procurement of DTG to minimize cost and maximize cost-effectiveness.

The Practice of Competition Regulation in the International Procurement and State Procurement Administration in Georgia

Under conditions of the emerging economy, together with the mobilization of the state income, it becomes increasingly important to rationalize the expenses. Under the market economy the government has to intervene in the market functioning in order to protect competitive mechanisms that ensure democratic choice. The regulations of the government includes the implementation of state economic policy, as well as addressing the issues that otherwise are impossible to be solved with self-regulating market mechanisms. The function of supervision the competition legislation is shifting to the judiciary and the special regulatory institutions, but the state procurement administration and anti-monopoly regulations still remain the prerogative of the executive body(the government). In the international practice the systems of the international procurement differs from each other, though they have common characteristics mainly regarding the general principles and applied methods. In addition, the level of procurement centralization and the administration quality varies from country to country. Also in each state there is at least one governmental body(in form of an agency, department, office, etc) that regulates and exercises the overall coordination of the procurement policy throughout the country. Generally this very body is responsible for the monitoring state procurement and administrating the signed contracts. In some countries additionally a special governmental office of public provision is made up that carries out the procurementof standard products and services through tenders on the basis of orders placed by state managing bodies and different organizations and then supply appropriate companies. As it turned out, the similar body is to be established in the near future in Georgia.In order to successfully introduce in Georgia the positive experience existing in the international procurement-management practice, it is equally important to have high quality law, also appropriate institutional infrastructure, the support from the authorities. In addition, it is essential to ensure the availability of the information necessary for public monitoring and the professionalism of the parties participating in the procurement process. In Georgia the law regulating the state procurement is mainly harmonized with internationalstandards, though some indirect related legal acts need further refinement. The experience of the international procurement proves that it is equally important to correctly plan the state procurement, as well as correctly organize the procurement procedures and sign fair contracts. In addition, it is important that obligations written in the contracts are fully implemented and public monitoring requires that the accountability system is strictly defined.

Impact of China's National Centralized Drug Procurement Policy on pharmaceutical enterprises' financial performance: a quasi-natural experimental study.

In China, the interest relationship between pharmaceutical enterprises and medical institutions has harmed the healthy development of pharmaceutical enterprises. In November 2018, the National Centralized Drug Procurement (NCDP) policy was published. The NCDP policy severs the interest relationship and significantly impacts on pharmaceutical enterprises's financial performance. Using the implementation of China's National Centralized Drug Procurement (NCDP) policy as a quasi-natural experiment, this study evaluated the impact of participation in the NCDP policy on pharmaceutical enterprises' financial performance. We developed a difference-in-difference model to estimate the change in financial performance after NCDP implementation, based on financial data on Chinese listed pharmaceutical enterprises. We found that the bid-winning enterprises' financial performance significantly improved after participating in NCDP. This may be related to lower costs, market share expansion, and increased research and development investment by the bid-winning enterprises. To further promote the high-quality development of pharmaceutical enterprises in China, the government should expand the variety of drugs on the NCDP list (NCDP drugs), while improving the drug patent protection system and the policies to support the bid-winning enterprises.

Outcome of Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN) Policy Allowing for Waiting Time Modification for Candidates Affected by Race-Inclusive eGFR Calculations: Early Impact from a Single Center

Outcome of Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN) Policy Allowing for Waiting Time Modification for Candidates Affected by Race-Inclusive eGFR Calculations: Early Impact from a Single Center

A model for enhancing the application of value management in construction projects in Kenya

Value management (VM) has been widely used in the construction industry to facilitate projects for decades in many countries around the globe. The concept began in the US, and then other nations such as China, Japan, South Africa, and Nigeria followed and tested its effectiveness by assessing its impacts on costs, quality, and time. A VM application has a low cost and a high benefit process, and thus, if well-practiced and integrated into project management at the beginning of a project, it would lead to its successful completion. It also helps in improving the value of a project by ensuring low costs, high quality, and completion within the stipulated time frame. In Kenya, there remains a gap in that very little information has been documented about VM applications in construction projects. Therefore, this study seeks to evaluate and develop a model to enhance the application of value management to construction projects. The study sampled all registered key stakeholders in construction projects within Kenya. The stakeholders are comprised of engineers, architects, quantity surveyors, contractors, and project managers. A stratified sampling strategy was employed, and data analysis was conducted using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 25. The analysis methods used in this research were both descriptive and inferential in nature. Data summaries in terms of frequencies, means, and standard deviations were obtained under descriptive analysis. The inferential analysis comprised Pearson's correlation and regression analysis, which determined the significant determinants of VM application and were used to establish a predictive model. The study showed that team dynamics, procurement policy, government regulations, and VM knowledge are significant predictors of the level of VM application. A model has been developed that can assist in enhancing the application of value management in construction projects in Kenya.

Evaluating social procurement: a theoretically informed and methodologically robust social return on investment (SROI) analysis of a construction training initiative developed to reduce the risk of youth homelessness in Wales

Despite widespread claims about the benefits of social procurement, there is little robust evidence that emerging social procurement policies are achieving their intended outcomes. Addressing this gap in research, this paper presents a case study of a theoretically informed and methodologically robust evaluative social return on investment (SROI) analysis of a construction training initiative developed in Wales to reduce the risk of youth homelessness. Utilising Sen and Nussbaum's Capability Empowerment Approach, the results contribute to social procurement research by providing much needed empirical legitimacy to an under theorised field. Ensuring that new social procurement initiatives developed by the construction industry are theoretically and empirically sound is critical to ensure they are transparent, robust, testable, reliable and replicable in achieving the social outcomes they purport to deliver.

Policy instruments facilitate China’s COVID-19 work resumption

Governments worldwide have announced stimulus packages to remobilize the labor force after COVID-19 and therefore to cope with the COVID-19-related recession. However, it is still unclear how to facilitate large-scale work resumption. This paper aims to clarify the issue by analyzing the large-scale prefecture-level dataset of human mobility trajectory information for 320 million workers and about 500,000 policy documents in China. We model work resumption as a collective behavioral change due to configurations of capacity, motivation, and policy instruments by using qualitative comparative analysis. We find that the effectiveness of post-COVID-19 recovery stimulus varied across China depending on the fiscal and administrative capacity and the policy motivation of the prefecture. Subnational fiscal and procurement policies were more effective for the wholesale and retail sector and the hotel and catering sector, whereas the manufacturing and business services sectors required more effort regarding employment policies. Due to limited prefectural capacity and wavering policy motivation, the simultaneous adoption of fiscal, employment, and procurement policy interventions endangered post-COVID-19 work resumption. We highlight the necessity of tailored postcrisis recovery strategies based on local fiscal and administrative capacity and the sectoral structure.

PRECONDITIONS FOR THE "FARM-TO-SCHOOL" MODEL FROM STAKEHOLDERS' PERSPECTIVE: THE CASE OF KLAIPEDA REGION

Farm-to-school programs represent a global movement aimed at bolstering childhood nutrition, enhancing the quality of school meals, and empowering of local markets. However, these initiatives exhibit significant diversity in their implementation strategies across different countries and remain variably defined in both research and program evaluation literature. In the context of the Klaipeda region project, Farm-to-school programs could be conceptualized as initiatives centred around local or regional food procurement, alongside agriculture and nutrition-based educational endeavours. These activities would encompass the provision of locally sourced foods in schools, the facilitation of educational sessions, and the establishment of school gardens, all aimed at bridging the gap between educational institutions, local farmers, food producers, and distributors. The overarching goal is to integrate fresh, locally sourced food into both school cafeterias and curricula. The research findings, based on interviews conducted in the Klaipeda region with municipality specialists, shed light on the specific nuances of possible Farm-to-school program implementation in this region. Key takeaways from the responses include the commitment to regulatory compliance with Green Public Procurement rules, with a strong emphasis on sourcing food produced within Lithuania. Despite their dedication to supporting local agriculture and providing fresh, locally sourced food, these programmes grapple with challenges related to quantity, cost, administrative hurdles, and procurement policies. Decision-making processes are influenced by a diverse array of stakeholders, including municipal bodies and the broader community.

Vital Importance of Risk Assessment in Construction Project Procurement Method Selection

At the outset of any project, every client’s primary goal is to attain value for their investment by securing a top-quality structure completed on schedule and within budget. Consequently, this study is devoted to the identification and prioritization of crucial risk factors that influence the choice of procurement methods in construction projects within the local government areas (LGA) of Nassarawa (NSR), Dala (DAL), and Kano Municipal (KMC) in Kano state. The methodology utilized entails surveying 146 participants, including both contractors and consultants. To assess the likelihood of these risks, the Relative Importance Index (RII) and the sign test were applied using Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) version 26. The results unveiled that factor associated with the client, project timeline, and cost exert the most profound influence on the choice of procurement method in the three LGA’s in Kano state. The most influential factors among these include the client’s financial capability, competition in pricing, constraints on project time, and procurement policies. In conclusion, a significant recommendation is for clients and consultants to enhance their procurement method oversight by involving skilled procurement specialists. This measure is essential for making informed choices, facilitating the attainment of a favourable return on investment, and guaranteeing the achievement of quality, timely, and budget-compliant project results.

Efficiency of metaverse on the improvement of the green procurement policy of semiconductor supply chain – based on behaviour perspective

This study is to investigate and elucidate the potential efficiencies generated when implementing the metaverse and how these efficiencies influence supplier behaviour, encouraging continued cooperation with green procurement policies. The principles of the natural-resource-based view (NRBV) and sociotechnical system theory (SST) uses to construct a conceptual model and test it using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) with data collected from 251 Chinese semiconductor manufacturers. The results suggest that the metaverse can stimulate collective behaviour and foster a bandwagon effect among suppliers. This, in turn, guides suppliers to actively engage with green procurement practices, adhere to green purchasing standards, and enhance their operations. Additionally, it facilitates the development of resilience in high pollution operations, ultimately leading to improved green performance. Considering these findings, semiconductor manufacturers, in their role as policy makers, may find greater support for the implementation of the metaverse to address the deficiencies in green procurement policies.

The impact of the national volume-based procurement policy on the use of policy-related drugs in Nanjing: an interrupted time-series analysis

BackgroundIn September 2019, the “4 + 7” centralized procurement pilot program was expanded nationwide aiming at reducing drug prices by means of volume-based procurement and using accredited generic drugs for branded drug substitutes. Given the current uncertain effect of the policy outside pilot areas, this study was conducted to evaluate the impact of the National Volume-based Procurement policy on the use of policy-related drugs after expansion.MethodA single-group interrupted time series was applied using drug purchase data, covering 25 months from December 2018 to December 2020. Drugs related to the centralized procurement policy were selected as samples, including 25 first-batch policy-related drugs and 56 alternative drugs. Centralized procured drugs can be divided into bid-winning and non-winning products, where non-winning products were sorted into generic and branded drugs, and alternative products were classified according to different degrees of substitution. Purchase volume, expenditures, and daily costs were measured.ResultsAfter the implementation of the policy, a significant increase was associated with the volume of bid-winning drugs (p < 0.001) and the volume of generic and branded drugs decreased immediately. The DDDc of drugs under the same generic name significantly reduced (an instantaneous drop of bid-winning drugs by approximately 25%, 7.62 CNY for generics and 3.07 CNY for branded drugs), saving 48.2 million CNY of drug expenditures. The policy has a significant effect on the drug for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases and exerted little influence on the drug for the treatment of nervous diseases, and the substitution of generics for antitumor-branded drugs was not obvious. In addition, the procurement volume of alternative drugs appeared to be a “carry-over”.ConclusionsThese findings indicated that the policy demonstrated positive effects in terms of price reductions and cost savings and accelerated the substitution of generics against branded drugs. The “patent cliff” for branded drugs has gradually emerged. Besides, a short-term “spillover effect” of the volume of alternative drugs was observed, requiring special attention and vigilance.

Demand Shocks, Procurement Policies, and the Nature of Medical Innovation: Evidence from Wartime Prosthetic Device Patents

Abstract We show that the demand shocks associated with the U.S. Civil War and World War I led to substantial increases in prosthetic device patenting (relative to patenting in other medical and mechanical technology classes). Through analyses of patent texts, we find that the Civil War led inventors to focus on production process improvements, while World War I did not. Further, we find that inventors emphasized dimensions of product quality that aligned with differences in buyers' preferences across wars. Alongside evidence from the historical record, these findings imply that procurement environments can significantly shape the scientific problems with which inventors engage.

Utilisation of certification schemes for recycled products in the Australian building and construction sector

AbstractRecycled product certification (RPC) schemes may prove useful to ensure the desired quality and gain buyer confidence in purchasing products with recycled content (PwRC). RPCs are relatively new to the sector and have not been widely adopted. Hence, this study aims to investigate the implementation of RPC in construction projects using a multiple‐case study approach. The analysis reveals that a large proportion of respondents were unaware of these schemes. The study finds that while a majority favoured RPC application, there were significant variations in responses among stakeholder groups. Moreover, the study identifies six advantages and seven significant barriers associated with the use of RPC in the sector. This study recommends leveraging education and supportive regulation for the effective implementation of RPC. In particular, the policymakers who intend to embed RPC in procurement policies for purchasing PwRC can learn about the identified loopholes and strategies and address them accordingly.

The effects of Demand-side policy on firm innovation: The Mediating role of R&amp;D activities

Today, innovation is seen as the engine of economic growth. As a result, governments foster innovation activities in both the public and private sectors by using policy tools such as measures, regulations, and incentives. There are two main approaches in government innovation policy: supply-side policy and demand-side policy. Supply-side policy instruments primarily stimulate technological development and diffuse innovation capabilities. On the other hand, demand-side policy supports specific demand and minimizes technological and trade uncertainty at all stages of production. Moreover, a demand-driven procurement policy is one of the main drivers of high-tech industries. At the same time, in line with the growing importance of the knowledge economy and societal concepts, knowledge or technology has become the major determinant of innovation. In this way, companies are encouraged to undertake research and development activities in order to create innovation and advance their technologies. Moreover, the government’s support for investing in research and development (R&amp;D) activities has become an effective solution for the firm’s innovation outputs. These R&amp;D activities are of particular importance in transition and catch-up economies such as the Czech Republic. Therefore, this article aims to analyze the impact of demand-driven policy on business innovation through R&amp;D activities in the Czech Republic. Data from the Community Innovation Survey and partial least squares structural equation modelling are used to achieve the purpose of this article. Our findings show that demand-driven policy (procurement for innovation) significantly and positively affects firm product and process innovation through R&amp;D activities. The findings of our research also have practical implications for firms and policymakers in the Czech Republic. These results could also apply to Central and Eastern Europe, where we can observe similar characteristics of firms, for instance, because of their innovation performance.

Recommendations for cradle-to-gate environmental product declarations (EPD) in ‘Buy Clean’ procurement based on CDOT’s experience

The use of environmental product declarations (EPDs) in procurement of construction materials has been of increasing interest to government agencies, and adoption in the United States has been driven in part by ‘Buy Clean’ legislation. Buy Clean encompasses green procurement policies that promote the purchase of construction materials and products with lower environmental impacts, considering the life-cycle impacts associated with those materials. Most EPDs for transportation infrastructure construction materials are ‘cradle-to-gate’, or representative of the material production stage of a product and not the entire life cycle; however, these EPDs can allow meaningful quantitative comparisons of environmental and sustainability indicators and serve as a mechanism for measuring improvements in environmental impacts during the production of materials. This paper describes how cradle-to-gate EPDs are used, presents a case study of initial implementation of an EPD policy by the Colorado Department of Transportation, and provides recommendations to address some of the challenges that agencies and stakeholders can face when developing or participating in new EPD programs. It is desired that the recommendations and case study presented in this paper will help provide pathways to agencies for the successful enactment of Buy Clean policies and enable mitigation of actual or perceived barriers to program implementation.

Green Procurement and Performance of Food and Beverage Manufacturing Firms in Kenya

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between green procurement and the performance of food and beverage manufacturing firms in Kenya.&#x0D; Methodology: An explanatory research design was employed in the study. All 172 of Kenya's registered food and manufacturing businesses were considered using the census approach. Using questionnaires, primary data was gathered. This study employed 172 questionnaires. Version 25 of the SPSS statistical program was used to analyze the data. The primary data was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistical analysis techniques. Descriptive statistics gives the profile of the respondents, that is, the frequencies and their percentages; whereas inferential statistics adopts a hierarchical, moderated, multiple regression analysis model in order to determine the effect of the explanatory variable.&#x0D; Findings: The study found that there is a correlation of 0.701 between green procurement and the success of Kenyan food and beverage manufacturing companies. Green procurement accounted for 48.7% of the variation in the performance of food and beverage manufacturing firms in Kenya.&#x0D; Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: Strategic Choice theory was adopted and validated. By incorporating stakeholders, assessing policy choices, making educated judgments, aligning with capacities, adjusting to changes, minimizing risks, and encouraging cooperation for sustainable procurement practises, Strategic Choice Theory could assist Kenya in developing a complete green procurement policy. The study found that implementing green procurement would; conserve the environment, reduce unnecessary costs to a firm, improve customer satisfaction, improve firm reputation, increase product acceptance, and increase the sales volume.

Safety and economic analysis of the EasyEndo disposable endoscopic cutting and stapling device for VATS lobectomy or segmentectomy in lung cancer patients: a retrospective study.

The aim of this retrospective study was to investigate the safety and economic aspects of using the EasyEndo disposable endoscopic cutting and stapling device for video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) lobectomy or segmentectomy in patients with lung cancer. The choice between the two staplers was influenced by changes in our hospital's procurement policy; Johnson EC45A was used before January 2022 and was then replaced by the EasyEndo stapler. We reviewed and analyzed consecutive patients with lung cancer who underwent VATS segmentectomy from March 2021 to December 2022. Inclusion criteria included patients with suspected non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who were eligible for surgical resection. The surgical procedures were performed using either the EasyEndo or Johnson EC45A staplers. Intraoperative variables, postoperative outcomes, and cost analysis were compared between the two groups. A total of 1556 patients were included in the study, with 775 patients in the Control group and 781 patients in the EasyEndo group. There were no significant differences in patient characteristics between the two groups. Intraoperative variables, including blood loss, blood transfusion, and operation time, showed no significant differences between the groups. Postoperative outcomes, such as hospital stay, drainage tube placement time, and incidence of complications, were also comparable between the two groups. However, there was a significant difference in the cost of stapler usage, with the EasyEndo group showing a lower cost compared to the Control group. The EasyEndo disposable endoscopic cutting and stapling device demonstrated comparable safety and effectiveness to the Johnson EC45A stapler in VATS segmentectomy for lung cancer patients. Moreover, the use of the EasyEndo stapler resulted in cost savings, indicating its potential economic benefits for healthcare institutions.