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Evaluating quality or lowest price: consequences for small and medium-sized enterprises in public procurement

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  • Johan Stake

    (Södertörn University)

Abstract

This study investigates the effect of evaluating the most economically advantageous tender (MEAT) in public procurement rather than lowest price. According to the European Union (EU), evaluations based on MEAT, rather than lowest price, give an advantage to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in winning public procurement contracts because such firms are viewed as sources of innovation. Thus, MEAT as an evaluation criterion is recommended throughout the EU. Using procurement data from Sweden, I find no significant effect on SME participation in procurement calls for tender as a result of the use of MEAT in firm evaluations. However, large firms significantly increase their participation when MEAT is evaluated. Even more importantly, micro, small and medium-sized firms’ probability of winning procurement contracts significantly decreases when MEAT rather than lowest price is used as an evaluative criterion. Thus, evaluation in terms of MEAT increases large firms’ bids and success rates; hence, this policy is counterproductive. The reasons SMEs are disadvantaged as a result of evaluations based on MEAT are, however, not examined in this paper and require further research.

Suggested Citation

  • Johan Stake, 2017. "Evaluating quality or lowest price: consequences for small and medium-sized enterprises in public procurement," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 42(5), pages 1143-1169, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:jtecht:v:42:y:2017:i:5:d:10.1007_s10961-016-9477-4
    DOI: 10.1007/s10961-016-9477-4
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    Cited by:

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    3. Păunescu, Vlad & Iliescu, Alexandru-Iulian & Sălăgean, Tudor & Şuba, Elemer-Emanuel & Nap, Mircea-Emil, 2024. "An analysis of strategic goals and public procurement strategy regarding the implementation of The National Program for Land Registration in Romania," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 146(C).
    4. Krieger, Bastian & Füner, Lena & Prüfer, Malte, 2024. "Which start-ups win public procurement tenders?," ZEW Discussion Papers 24-072, ZEW - Leibniz Centre for European Economic Research.
    5. Peter Džupka & Matúš Kubák & Peter Nemec, 2020. "Sustainable Public Procurement in Central European Countries. Can It Also Bring Savings?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(21), pages 1-13, November.
    6. Obwegeser, Nikolaus & Müller, Sune Dueholm, 2018. "Innovation and public procurement: Terminology, concepts, and applications," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 74, pages 1-17.
    7. Matus Kubak & Peter Nemec & Robert Stefko & Marcel Volosin, 2023. "On competition and transparency in public procurement during the COVID-19 pandemic in the European Union," E&M Economics and Management, Technical University of Liberec, Faculty of Economics, vol. 26(2), pages 4-23, June.
    8. Peter Nemec, 2024. "Contesting the public works domain: examining the factors affecting presence and success of SMES in public procurement," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 67(5), pages 2135-2173, November.
    9. Knut Blind & Jakob Pohlisch & Anne Rainville, 2020. "Innovation and standardization as drivers of companies’ success in public procurement: an empirical analysis," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 45(3), pages 664-693, June.
    10. Paolo Castelnovo & Gelsomina Catalano & Francesco Giffoni & Matteo Landoni, 2024. "The outcomes of public procurements: an empirical analysis of the Italian space industry," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 49(1), pages 367-399, February.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Public procurement; SMEs; Innovation; Quality evaluation; Most economically advantageous tender;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • H57 - Public Economics - - National Government Expenditures and Related Policies - - - Procurement
    • L25 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior - - - Firm Performance
    • O38 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Government Policy

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