International Public Procurement Developments in 2008; Public Procurement in a World Economic Crisis

Abstract:     
These two papers, presented at the West Government Contracts Year in Review Conference (covering 2008), discuss developing issues in international public procurement. Among other things, the Anderson paper addresses the role of the World Trade Organization in public procurement; other organizations -- such as the World Bank, the UN, and the OECD -- that play increasingly important roles; the role of competition or antitrust policy vis-a-vis procurement; and discrete issues such as public-private partnerships and framework agreements. The Yukins paper addresses, among other things, protectionist pressues that are being applied to the crisis-generated stimulus spending packages. The Yukins paper recommends that the Obama administration should tailor any fiscal stimulus procurements to comply with existing international free-trade agreements, and continue to advocate, quite forcefully, for building capacity and reform in procurement around the world.

Number of Pages in PDF File: 30

Keywords: government contracts, international public procurement, World Trade Organization, Government Procurement Agreement, protectionism, international trade, stimulus spending

JEL Classification: F13, F14, H42, H57

Accepted Paper Series