CENTRALIZATION OF THE PROCUREMENT OF PUBLIC GOODS AND SERVICES: A SYSTEMATIC LITERATURE REVIEW

Abstract

This systematic review aims to verify how current literature addresses the advantages and disadvantages of centralizing the bidding process. The methodology employed was the 4Ws Method, by Rosado-Serrano, Paul, and Dikova (2018), in which the terms What, Why, Where, and How guide the construction of the topics presenting the collected data. Articles from the first quartile that investigated the effects of centralization in various contexts were selected, and the research objective, methodology, results, and final considerations were presented. The databases searched were SCOPUS and WEB OF SCIENCE, and 9 articles were analyzed in the end. The studies present important results: economies of scale, better decision-making, and reduced delivery delays resulting from the centralization of purchases. The maturation of centralized systems is important, taking into account the distribution of responsibilities of each participating body (or agent). It was also observed that there is a significant knowledge gap regarding the centralization of the acquisition of goods and services by public bodies, and that it is important for centralized systems to mature, taking into account the distribution of responsibilities of each body (or agent) participating in the process. The research contributes by presenting practical results experienced in developed countries that, by adopting centralization, achieved positive results in terms of economies of scale and expertise in the bidding process.