Let’s talk about public projects!
SERIES ARTICLE
By Stanisław Gasik
Warsaw, Poland
Introduction
For the implementation and success of a public project, the budget owner, i.e., a public institution, is always held accountable. For a project to be successful, it is necessary to properly identify the needs and then determine the intended outcomes. An intermediate element in this process is defining the project deliverables ensuring these outcomes are achieved. In most public projects, deliverables are provided by external companies. Selecting a contractor is a crucial step in the public project implementation process.
In this article, the essential features of companies capable of implementing public projects will be discussed. More specifically, we will examine government-level practices—components of the Governmental Project Implementation System (GPIS, Gasik, 2023, 2025)—related to this issue.
General Procurement Rules
Public projects are one of the primary methods of executing public procurement. Therefore, they must comply with general procurement regulations required in a given state.
An important value of formalizing the processes for selecting a contractor for a public project is ensuring the integrity of the process and preventing corruption in all possible forms. The selection of a supplier must be based solely on substantive criteria.
In many countries, public procurement — covering all types of purchases, whether operations, supplies, or projects — is regulated by legal acts (e.g., Brazil President of the Republic, 2021; Poland Sejm, 2019; India Lok Sabha, 2012; UK Parliament, 2015a) or lower-level documents issued by central institutions (e.g., USA GSA et al., 2019; Australia Government, 2024). Documents providing legal guidelines (instructions) are also published (e.g., Government of India, 2017).
These regulations typically outline various requirements suppliers must meet. They must demonstrate experience in executing similar contracts and provide appropriate references. Companies must have sufficient financial capacity to ensure contract execution, which must be stable over the past few years. Some administrations require financial statements and declarations of no outstanding debts. In construction and other contracts where worker safety is a concern, health and safety certifications are essential. It is often necessary to demonstrate the availability of qualified staff. Depending on the contract specifics, insurance—such as civil and professional liability insurance—may be required. Some countries apply preferences for domestic or local contractors (e.g., India, Canada, South Africa, Brazil). Additionally, requirements related to employee rights and equal treatment are becoming increasingly significant, such as those outlined in the Equality Act (UK Parliament, 2010) and the Modern Slavery Act (UK Parliament, 2015b). Some regulations also include compliance requirements for data protection regulations.
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Editor’s note: This article series is related to the management of public programs and projects, those organized, financed and managed by governments and public officials. The author, Dr. Stanisław Gasik, is the author of the book “Projects, Government, and Public Policy”, recently published by CRC Press / Taylor and Francis Group. That book and these articles are based on Dr. Gasik’s research into governmental project management around the world over the last decade. Stanisław is well-known and respected by PMWJ editors; we welcome and support his efforts to share knowledge that can help governments worldwide achieve their most important initiatives.
How to cite this paper: Gasik, S. (2025). Selecting a public project contractor. Let’s talk about public projects, series article, PM World Journal, Volume XIV, Issue III, March. Available online at http://pmworldlibrary.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/pmwj150-Mar2025-Gasik-Selecting-a-public-project-contractor.pdf
About the Author
Stanisław Gasik, PhD, PMP
Warsaw, Poland
Dr. Stanisław Gasik, PMP is a project management expert. He graduated from the University of Warsaw, Poland, with M. Sc. in mathematics and Ph. D. in organization sciences (with a specialty in project management). Stanisław has over 30 years of experience in project management, consulting, teaching, and implementing PM organizational solutions. His professional and research interests include project knowledge management, portfolio management, and project management maturity. He is the author of the only holistic model of project knowledge management spanning from the individual to the global level.
Since 2013, his main professional focus has been on public projects. He was an expert in project management at the Governmental Accountability Office, an institution of the US Congress. He is the author of “Projects, Government, and Public Policy,” a book that systematizes knowledge about government activities in the area of project management.
He was a significant contributor to PMI’s PMBOK® Guide and PMI Standard for Program Management and contributed to other PMI standards. He has lectured at global PMI and IPMA congresses and other international conferences.
His web page is www.gpm3.eu.
To view other works by Dr. Gasik, please visit his author showcase in the PM World Library at https://pmworldlibrary.net/authors/stanislaw-gasik-phd-pmp/
