Since 1990s, public procurement reform in developing countries is seen as a pre-requisite to administrative, economic and social development. At the international level, public procurement reform is driven my concerns over trade discrimination, the belief in free market competition and the rule of law to bring about efficiency in public services delivery, recurring budgetary crises in public administration…etc. Missing in this global debate is the perspective of practitioners from developing countries. Notwithstanding the key roles of law and rule of law in shaping public institutions and policy, the perspective of practitioners remains important for a comprehensive approach to reform implementation. We are inviting contributions that deal with the politics of public procurement reform in Africa with a specific focus on the role(s) of public and private practitioners in the process of reform. We are interested in empirical studies that address one of following themes.
Regulatory systems
Public procurement and administrative reform
• State and regulatory agencies
• Role of the legislative / national assembly
• Etc …
Public procurement and entrepreneurship in the public sector
Public procurement and intangibles
• Extractive industries and the environment
• Human and cultural rights
• Etc …
Concession regimes
• Land contracts
• Infrastructures
• Natural resources
• Maritime contracts
• Water / Energy / public utilities
• Etc…
Defense procurement
Public procurement and corruption
Public procurement and civil society (access to information, monitoring, media, gender)
Public procurement and education / training
Public procurement and heath
• HIV/ AIDS
• Malaria
• Pooled procurement
• Etc…
China and government contracts in Africa
Preferential procurement
Public procurement and development
• Urban development
• Rural development
• Regional integration / International cooperation
• Supply chain management
• E-procurement
• Etc …
This list is not exhaustive. We welcome case studies and comparative analyses between sectors and/ or states/ regions. The deadline for abstract submission is November 20, 2012. The abstract should not exceed 250 words and must be sent electronically to S.N. Nyeck sngonye1@ucla.edu . Submission in French will be considered.