Competency requirement for professionals involved in public construction procurement process: a review

Abstract

Due to its complexity and a series of interdependent activities, public construction procurement (PCP) is often prone to problems such as cost overruns, time overruns, quality compromises and fraud and corruption. These problems ultimately lead to disputes challenging value for money (VFM), which is anticipated particularly in public construction projects. The success of public construction projects ensures VFM, and it is heavily dependent on the competencies of professionals involved in the procurement process. It was revealed that limited research has been conducted, shedding light upon the competencies required by the professionals in the procurement team specifically for the public construction procurement process. Therefore, the research aimed to explore competencies required by professionals, such as Quantity Surveyors, Engineers, and Architects, who are engaged in the procurement team in the public construction procurement process. The research is conducted with a particular focus on laying the foundation to explore these competencies to overcome the identified problems. Accordingly, a comprehensive literature review was conducted. The findings revealed 14 problems in the public procurement process (PPP), and the competencies expected from the leading professionals in the procurement team, including Engineers, Architects, and Quantity Surveyors, were detailed and analysed according to the competency requirements of the selected professional institutes. The findings suggest that procurement professionals must possess a robust understanding of legal, financial, and technical aspects, alongside strong communication and negotiation skills, to navigate the complexities of public construction procurement. The findings of this research will contribute to minimising disputes and improving the efficiency of public construction procurement processes.