Using data from Italian public works, we study whether and which procuring administrations manipulate the value of contracts to avoid crossing regulatory thresholds that limit discretion, and how this impacts procurement outcomes. We use bunching estimators to document substantial manipulation...

To what extent does a more competent public bureaucracy contribute to better economic outcomes? We address this question in the context of the US federal procurement of services and works, by combining contract-level data on procurement performance and bureau-level data on competence and...

To what extent does a more competent public bureaucracy contribute to better eco- nomic outcomes? We address this question in the context of the US federal procurement of services and works, by combining contract-level data on procurement performance and bureau-level data on competence and...

Introduction / Nicola Dimitri, Gustavo Piga and Giancarlo Spagnolo -- The variety of procurement practice : evidence from public procurement / Laura Carpineti, Gustavo Piga and Matteo Zanza -- General strategic principles -- When should procurement be centralized? / Nicola Dimitri, Federico Dini...