Improving Transparency in IDIQ Contracts: A Comparison of Common Procurement Issues Affecting Economies Across the Atlantic and Suggested Solutions

TL;DR

This paper compares procurement issues in IDIQ contracts across Europe and America, emphasizing transparency challenges and proposing solutions to improve accountability without sacrificing efficiency.

Contribution

It offers a cross-Atlantic analysis of IDIQ procurement challenges and suggests strategies to enhance transparency in public contracts.

Findings

IDIQ contracts are less transparent but widely used in both regions.

Balancing transparency and efficiency is crucial to prevent negative economic impacts.

Proposed solutions aim to improve accountability in public procurement.

Abstract

Expansions in the size and scope of public procurement across the Atlantic have increased calls for accountability of democratic governments. Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Quantity contracts by their very nature are less transparent but serve as major tools of public procurement in both the European and American economies. This paper utilizes a cross-Atlantic perspective to discuss common challenges faced by governments and contracting entities while highlighting the need for balancing transparency with efficiency to avoid negative economic outcomes. It concludes by discussing and providing potential solutions to certain common challenges.