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Flexibility in contract design - is that possible?

Author

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  • Camén, Carolina
  • Tsaxiri, Panagiota
  • Aldenius, Malin
  • Lidestam, Helene

Abstract

Public procurement is widely used in order to incorporate competition into public services. Competition in procurement often leads to efficiency but the process can also raise some problems. While providing the procurement documents you do not know who will be your upcoming partner. Another aspect is how flexibility can be managed in contract design while maintaining a high service quality. The aim of this study is twofold. Firstly, the aim is to investigate how flexibility has been expressed and historically described in bus tendering documents. Secondly, to explore how the actors define or describe flexibility and its importance in tendering. Data was collected from ten years of tendering documents in the bus sector in Sweden and from interviews and a workshop. The results showed that flexibility in tendering documents has been and still is low for the operators. However, the actors wish for more flexibility and new forms of contracts can make it easier to include higher degrees of flexibility in future contracts. The paper contributes to the ongoing discussion about how to design contracts and to manage flexibility. The study has potential to create knowledge and contribute to better decision making for future procurement of bus transport.

Suggested Citation

  • Camén, Carolina & Tsaxiri, Panagiota & Aldenius, Malin & Lidestam, Helene, 2020. "Flexibility in contract design - is that possible?," Research in Transportation Economics, Elsevier, vol. 83(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:retrec:v:83:y:2020:i:c:s0739885920300974
    DOI: 10.1016/j.retrec.2020.100899
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Stanley, John & van de Velde, Didier, 2008. "Risk and reward in public transport contracting," Research in Transportation Economics, Elsevier, vol. 22(1), pages 20-25, January.
    2. Vigren, Andreas, 2018. "How many want to drive the bus? Analyzing the number of bids for public transport bus contracts," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 72(C), pages 138-147.
    3. Lidestam, Helene & Camén, Carolina & Lidestam, Björn, 2018. "Evaluation of cost drivers within public bus transports in Sweden," Research in Transportation Economics, Elsevier, vol. 69(C), pages 157-164.
    4. Boitani, Andrea & Cambini, Carlo, 2006. "To bid or not to bid, this is the question: the Italian experience in competitive tendering for local bus services," European Transport \ Trasporti Europei, ISTIEE, Institute for the Study of Transport within the European Economic Integration, issue 33, pages 41-53.
    5. Camén, Carolina & Lidestam, Helene, 2016. "Dominating factors contributing to the high(er) costs for public bus transports in Sweden," Research in Transportation Economics, Elsevier, vol. 59(C), pages 292-296.
    6. Ron Sanchez, 1995. "Strategic flexibility in product competition," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 16(S1), pages 135-159.
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    8. David A. Hensher & Ian P. Wallis, 2005. "Competitive Tendering as a Contracting Mechanism for Subsidising Transport: The Bus Experience," Journal of Transport Economics and Policy, University of Bath, vol. 39(3), pages 295-322, September.
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    10. van de Velde, Didier & Veeneman, Wijnand & Lutje Schipholt, Lars, 2008. "Competitive tendering in The Netherlands: Central planning vs. functional specifications," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 42(9), pages 1152-1162, November.
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Bus; Contract design; Competitive tendering; Flexibility; Public transport;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • M1 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Business Administration
    • R41 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Transportation Economics - - - Transportation: Demand, Supply, and Congestion; Travel Time; Safety and Accidents; Transportation Noise
    • R49 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Transportation Economics - - - Other

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