Measuring efficiency in international public procurement

Procurement efficiency as an element of public performance management can contribute to achieving Value for Money by reducing administrative overhead costs and directing resources to support more complex procurement processes. This paper highlights empirical techniques to understand determinants of efficiency in the procurement cycle focusing on elapsed time taken and drawing on a unique dataset on the procurement process within the World Bank. The study finds that different methods of bidding, whether international or domestic, and contract attributes partially explain differences in the duration of procurement processes.