On December 15, 2022, the GW Law Government Procurement Law Program co-hosted a webinar with the University of Bristol Law School regarding the promise of technological solutions for procurement challenges.
After the accelerated adoption of digital technologies to mitigate the impact of the covid pandemic, there is a continued global race to make further strides in public sector digital transformation. Government procurement is often seen as a living lab for digital experimentation as many countries are seeking ways to harness the potential of digital technologies to improve their procurement function through data-driven insights and to automate the government contracting process.
However, the inherent limitations of some of the technologies, and the practical and governance challenges to the successful implementation of ‘tech fixes for procurement problems’ are not always recognized or well understood. This can create a disconnect between policymakers’ expectations and the likelihood of successful technological deployment.
This webinar provided an opportunity to take a hard look at the promise of tech fixes for procurement problems, focusing on key issues such as:
- -The ‘true’ potential of digital technologies in procurement.
- -The challenges arising from putting key enablers in place, such as an adequate big data architecture and access to digital skills in short supply.
- -The challenges arising from current regulatory frameworks and constraints not applicable to the private sector.
- -New challenges posed by data governance and cybersecurity risks.
The webinar began with a presentation by Professor Albert Sanchez-Graells (Bristol) of the initial findings of his ongoing research funded by the British Academy, including on the ‘policy irresistibility’ of digital technologies, their ‘true’ potential, and the new governance challenges they create. Following the presentation, Dean Jessica Tillipman (GW Law), Professor Sope Williams (Stellenbosch), and Eliza Niewiadomska (EBRD) will led a discussion of the issues raised by Professor Sanchez-Graells.
