| dc.description.abstract | This paper focuses on procurement, Best Value Procurement (BVP) and Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) within the Norwegian construction sector. The reason why this study has been conducted on these topics is that there is a gap in the literature on the relationship between them. However, individually there is a lot of information on each topic, and the BVP method has been used in Norway for construction projects by the public sector. Hence, the opportunity of researching the relationship between the topics appeared possible both in form of a literature study and an empirical study.
The purpose of this paper is to identify in what ways BVP can help SMEs to participate and win green public tenders. This by conducting both a literature study and an empirical study to understand the adaption of BVP in practice, experienced SME barriers and strengths, and the most vital BVP aspects that can help reduce SME barriers to Public Procurement (PP) and Green Public Procurement (GPP).
The methodology pinpoints both how the literature study and the empirical study were conducted. This paper has used a systematic combining approach for the whole paper, a systematic review of literature, a qualitative multiple-case study with the use of interviews for the empirical study.
The theory chapter has provided both basic information and explanation of the main topics: procurement with PP, GPP and the procurement process; BVP with Best Value Approach (BVA), the BVP phases, benefits and challenges, the use in Norwegian construction and experience in the Norwegian construction sector; SME with definitions in EU and Norway, statistics in Norway, SME friendly procurement, SME barriers, SME strengths, and benefits from working for the public sector. The theory will help understand the empirical study and it will justify, correspond or not correspond with the empirical findings through the analysis.
The empirical study presents all the findings from two case studies and one BVP consultant by interviewing nine participants in total. The findings include four perspectives; a public procurer, a large company, an SME and a consultant perspective. Furthermore, the findings provide answers to: how BVP has been used in practice; what the participants had experienced or think SMEs strength and barriers are; and what the participants saw as vital BVP aspects for SMEs in GPP.
The analysis combines all the cases and perspectives together with theory in order to help answering this paper’s research questions (RQs) and the problem statement. Then, the discussion summarizes the findings of the analysis so that the answers for each RQ becomes clearer. Lastly, the conclusion highlights the main findings and explains how the RQs and the problem statement have been answered.
The study shows that the BVP method can be used in GPP for both small and big projects, as well as with open and restricted procurement procedure. BVP may specifically provide a better utilization of green competence, as the supplier is seen as an “expert” that knows the best solution for the environmental quest and that collaboration with client may further help achieve environmental project objectives.
The BVP method has its benefits and challenges, as well as SMEs have strengths and barriers to PP and GPP. Examples of BVP challenges are the amount of work behind a bid and the risk of sending an interviewee with the unsuitable personality traits to be evaluated. Examples of BVP benefits and vital BVP aspects are the way BVP deals with risk management and the reusability of the BVP participation guide and structure of the tender document. The most important barriers for an SME to reduce are “lack of knowledge”, “extreme requirements” and “lack of capacity”. An SME would benefit from the new found theory supplements, such as the bid workload, that suppliers should consider the project size before deciding to self train, hire BVP experts, and the amount of resources and capacity needed, and that the interviewee representatives need to have proper communication skills as well as being a key person.
With regard to the problem statement this paper has provided many aspects of how BVP can help that may guide both SMEs and public procurers in finding their own way to help SMEs participate and win green public tenders. | |