Introduction to Public Procurement introduces students to essential concepts in public procurement including policies and procedures, authority and agency, and the competitive purchasing cycle. This OER provides an overview of legal considerations that need to be addressed when handling bid documents. The OER is designed to encourage strategic thinking and includes supply chain case examples, real-world scenarios, and landmark case rulings within each chapter.

The OER is written as an introductory text for students and is intended to help them understand the procurement process and the competitive bidding process. It will provide students with an overview of the duties and obligations of purchasers in public buying.

Key Features of this OER

Structure

This text is an adaptation of various open sources. Attributions to these sources are included at the end of each page. The resource was reviewed by several faculty members. Their feedback and suggestions improved the quality of this resource and were incorporated into the OER where possible.

This OER is divided into twelve chapters.

• Chapter 1: Introduction to Public Procurement
• Chapter 2: Government Structures and Authority
• Chapter 3: Legislation and Trade Agreements
• Chapter 4: Role of Public Buying – Public vs Private
• Chapter 5: Public Procurement in an International Context
• Chapter 6: Organizing Public Procurement Processes
• Chapter 7: E-Sourcing and Group Purchasing
• Chapter 8: Government Assets and Inventory Management
• Chapter 9: Contract and Project Management in Public Buying
• Chapter 10: Risks and Liability
• Chapter 11: Ethics and Professionalism
• Chapter 12: Future Trends and Public Procurement

Each chapter begins with an overview of the content to be covered and lists the objectives the student will achieve after reading the chapter. The content of each learning objective is linked to a section within the chapter.

Real-World Scenarios and Real-Life Cases

Students can see the practical application of public procurement in each chapter within the OER.

“Practical Procurement: Scenarios and Solutions” helps bridge the gap between theory and practice. These short fictional scenarios illustrate the daily complexities and challenges that public procurement officers face during their work. Students are presented with a challenging question and are asked to consider the best solution to the problem.

These scenarios enrich the learning experience by making the textbook content more relatable and accessible. Instructors will find these scenarios a powerful tool for helping students connect the dots between the classroom and the real world, making the learning process more dynamic and effective. “Practical Procurement” helps students gain the practical insights they need to excel in their future careers in public procurement.

The OER also provides other learning opportunities. “Real Cases in Public Procurement” gives a brief synopsis of real lawsuits that have shaped the course of public procurement in North America. Being acquainted with these seminal cases in the history of public procurement in Canada and the USA increases student awareness of the legal consequences of breach of contract, lapses in the tender process, and other issues that can cause legal liabilities.

“Practical Procurement” and “Real Cases in Public Procurement” are accompanied by questions that will spark lively debates in the classroom. Exemplar answers to these questions are included in the instructors’ manual.

Emphasis on Readability

We used tools that increase readability and faster review of the material, including headings and sub-headings, bolded key terms within the text that are hyperlinked to definitions, end-of-chapter key takeaway summaries, and a glossary of terms.

Review and Practice

Each chapter ends with a summary that reinforces learning by summarizing the most critical points from each section.

The multiple-choice questions are programmed as interactivities that provide students with a self-test opportunity at the end of each section. They also offer students feedback in real-time to confirm their understanding of the concepts presented in each section.

The review and essay questions test student understanding of the material presented in each chapter and encourage considered comment.

Instructor’s Manual Available

An instructor’s manual (IM) is available for this OER; it includes an answer key for the assessments included in this Pressbook. Note that requesting faculty must be vetted before Open Learning at Conestoga College can distribute this IM. The IM is copyrighted by its author and all rights are reserved; instructor’s manuals are for teaching purposes and may not be shared or republished in any form.

To obtain the IM for An Introduction to Public Procurement, please send an email to Open Learning at Conestoga College.

Jennifer Misangyi

December 2, 2024