Warren Staples

Exploring infrastructure procurement by Australian state governments

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to report on a research thesis that explores how Australian state government agencies procure infrastructure projects and the extent to which they view the procurement process as an opportunity to deliver more than just a physical facility. The primary purpose of this study was to understand the practice of construction project procurement by project managers on behalf of Australian state government agencies and to explore the creation of public value through procurement.Design/methodology/approach – This thesis presents results drawn from ten case studies of state government organisations that procure infrastructure; either roads or buildings. A total of 37 highly experienced project managers operationally responsible for the procurement of infrastructure within these organisations were interviewed.Findings – The findings show that there is considerable scope for improving infrastructure procurement by Australian state governments and that broader public value creat...

Construction Procurement and State Government Strategy: Aligned or Disconnected?

Australian state governments are engaging in strategic planning processes and publishing departmental and/or overall state strategic plans. One means of achieving the goals outlined in these strategic plans is via public procurement processes. Investments in construction projects by governments are strategic in nature and made to create infrastructure, which enables the provision of public services. This article investigates the contribution that construction procurement across the five Australian state governments who expend the most money on infrastructure makes towards the achievement of government strategy. The research draws on interviews with experienced project managers to assess whether public sector construction procurement is aligned or disconnected with publically stated government strategies.

Construction Procurers’ Perceptions of Value for Money

“Value for money” (VFM) is recognized as an important component of the market-oriented thinking underpinning new public management (NPM) and has pervaded the externalization of public services in many jurisdictions. Australia state governments have externalized much of their public works design, construction and maintenance capability. Large-scale public infrastructure projects are politically, socially, and economically significant. For public sector organizations and agencies charged with procuring construction projects and roads projects, justifying “value for money” both externally to taxpayers and communities, and internally to authorizing and/or client departments within government is crucial but inherently challenging. This is particularly so given the multiplicity of objectives sought as part of projects outcomes and the increasing complexity of projects. This chapter draws conclusions about the nature of VFM based on interviews with public procurers.