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public_procurement_playbook_hero
public_procurement_playbook_hero
public_procurement_playbook_hero
public_procurement_playbook_hero

Best practices in public procurement for continuous modernization

Use outcome-driven procurement for innovation, resilience and efficiency

 
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Service

Digital Transformation

Industry

Government

Governments struggle to modernize mission-critical systems  

Finance, justice, social welfare, health care and defense all rely on government IT – too often built on fragile, decades-old infrastructure. Traditional procurement (long contracts, rigid specs, big-bang delivery) drives overruns, delays and solutions that miss user needs. The result is rising technical debt, mounting cyber risk and high-profile failures when large replacements collapse under their own weight. In the United States alone, more than $100 billion a year goes to federal IT, much of it just to keep legacy systems running. Doing nothing is not sustainable as public expectations keep rising. 

The system that created the barriers can dismantle them. 

Procurement is a strategic lever for change and innovation

Public procurement is not just an administrative process. In many countries it represents 12% to 15% of GDP – enough market power to shape innovation, competitiveness and how public services evolve. Used well, it can unlock cutting-edge solutions and preserve public control over critical infrastructure and data. Used poorly, it can stall digital transformation. 

Learn more in the playbook

Public procurement accounts for 12–15% of GDP in many countries – a tremendous influence on markets and innovation. 

A modular, adaptive procurement approach

The private sector modernizes continuously – short cycles, iterative upgrades and faster integration of new tech without disrupting service. Governments can do the same when procurement rules enable agility, innovation and collaboration while safeguarding accountability. Shifting to continuous modernization requires clear goals that balance innovation with stewardship.

Seven shifts for procurement reform

  1. Enable continuous innovation. Replace one-off projects with flexible, outcome-based contracts and agile pilots.
  2. Grow the ecosystem. Use procurement to stimulate domestic industry, small businesses and startups while pulling innovation into the market.
  3. Open the door wider. Simplify tenders and split work into smaller lots so more diverse suppliers can compete.
  4. Focus on value, not just cost. Use life-cycle criteria such as most economically advantageous tender (MEAT) to deliver the best outcomes per taxpayer dollar.
  5. Advance sustainability and social value. Embed green standards, accessibility and fair labor in tenders.
  6. Protect trust through transparency. Ensure open competition, clear rules, auditability and open contracting data.
  7. Safeguard sovereignty and resilience. Maintain national oversight of critical data and infrastructure, avoid lock-in and build in cybersecurity from the start. 
Best practices in public procurement for continuous modernization

An actionable guide to procurement for continuous modernization

This guide distills global best practices into a practical model for ministers, chief procurement officers and digital leaders. It shows how to turn procurement from obstacle into engine, so IT systems evolve continuously, efficiently and securely.

Download the playbook here

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