Recent regulatory reforms in Italian public procurement: an empirical analysis on their impact
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: This study analyses how two recent procurement reforms have affected the speed of implementation and efficiency of public contracts in Italy. The first reform increased the contracts’ value threshold below which simplified procedures — faster but less competitive — can be adopted. Using a Difference-in-Differences approach on a large dataset of Italian public works contracts, we find that simplified procedures significantly accelerate the awarding phase without increasing the likelihood of time overruns in the execution phase. However, using a mechanism that provided weak competitive incentives to suppliers increased the price public buyers paid. As for the second reform here investigated - i.e., a reform that increases competitive pressure in the auction - we surprisingly do not find any reduction in the price paid by public buyers.
Authors: Andrea Bafundi, Riccardo Camboni, Paola Valbonesi
Language: English
Subfield: Strategy and Management
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W6936013180
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