Corruption in public procurement: methods and means of anti-corruption in the context of public procurement process reform in the international public administration field

Abstract

The magnitude of the consequences corruption may bring not only in the functioning of the public administration but also in the everyday life of the citizens was the reason that prompted me to deal with the issue of corruption in my thesis. Every now and then new cases of corruption see the light of day and the frequency with which they occur was the cause that intrigued me to further examine this issue. In addition, the complexity of corruption (V.Tanzi, 1998) and the many forms it takes (United Nations Handbook On Practical Anti-Corruption Measures For Prosecutors and Investigators, 2004) made it necessary to narrow the scope of my research. The selection of the scope was not random though, since it is targeted at the most corrupt area of the public administration, this of public procurement. The analysis of some basic terms and procedures in public procurement as presented in Chapter I. may be helpful in grasping the general idea about how procurement in the public sector works. An as much as possible thorough analysis of procurement provides the basic knowledge of the field, knowledge with which we need to be equipped to understand where corruption arises. Moving on in Chapter II. drawing attention to the issue of corruption, the causes that create it and the effects it entail is an attempt to analyse the term and emphasise the gravity of the situation on the social, political and economic level. Which sectors suffer most from corruption and which countries afflicts more than others are central questions that will also be examined. By analysing corruption in the public procurement cycle the risks that emerge in the 3 stages of the cycle (the pre-tendering, the tendering and the post-tendering) will be presented, by the same time the ground for the following chapter will be prepared. It would be ineffective to design policies and measures for tackling corruption without adapting the decision-making procedure to the risks that have to be confronted. Thus, Chapter III. will attempt to associate the risks and pathologies of the administration with the appropriate solutions. It will highlight the policies and measures that may generally combat corruption in the public administration and consequently in public procurement, as an integral part of it. Except for measures that may reform the public administration, it will make a reference to the specific anti-corruption measures in the public procurement cycle that, if adopted, may contribute to the prevention and combat of corruption, as well as to the public procurement process reform. Hence, the purpose of the present thesis is to examine the relation between corruption and procurement, the procedures that favour corruption and the risks that may generate it. The thesis will not be limited to the presentation of the different aspects of the problem, but an attempt will be made to underline the measures that need to be taken to eliminate corruption. Approaching corruption both theoretically and practically is indispensable for creating a comprehensive and thorough proposal.