Factors that influence the success of small and medium-sized suppliers in public procurement: evidence from a centralized agency in Germany
研究了拆分招标是否真能提高中小企业中标率，基于德国380份合同数据发现，拆分数量影响不显著，而程序类型、参与公司数和总招标额才是关键因素。
Purpose One of the major methods to promote small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in public procurement is to split tenders into lots. The basic assumption is that SMEs have better chances of awarding smaller or more specialized contracts. This paper aims to investigate whether this widely accepted assumption is correct. Design/methodology/approach This article examines four hypotheses about the factors that influence SME success in public procurement. The empirical analysis uses real data from 380 contract award files and logistic regression to test the hypotheses. Findings The results show that a higher number of lots in a tender does not significantly increase the success rate of SMEs, and other factors, including the type of public procurement procedure, the number of participating companies and the overall tender volume, significantly influence SME success. Research limitations/implications There are several implications for theory and practice, including the need to further strengthen the academic evaluation of public procurement policies, the suggestion to implement SME support instruments in public legislation with the utmost caution in practice and the managerial indication that SME competitiveness is more relevant to their success in public bidding than public support policies. Originality/value The findings stand in fundamental contrast to the legal regulations, which postulate that lots are the driving force for SME promotion in public procurement. This is also in contrast to public procurement policies that, for many years, have recommended splitting contracts into smaller lots to become SME-friendly.