Quick and effective: An innovative procurement scheme for six Dutch highway projects

In 2009-10, the Dutch highway agency Rijkswaterstaat (RWS) followed a fast track approach in the tendering process for highway reconstruction projects involving a total sum of 600 million euro in six contract packages. To reduce time to delivery, the selection process made use of Best Value Procurement. In this paper, we describe and analyse this programme as a single case. We introduce the concept of Best Value Procurement and highlight the preliminary results. Data from two evaluation studies are used to highlight specific insights, to build the bigger picture and to draw lessons about the instruments used in best value selection and about the transaction costs. The analysis includes a survey conducted amongst key personnel from the bidding organisations. Although pointers for further improvements were identified, all parties involved, including the bidders, urged for greater use of this innovative procurement approach.