The Russian System of Public Procurements: Persistent Problems in the Context of Legislative Changes

ABSTRACT Based on an analysis of data gathered from a mass survey of procurers and suppliers, this article discusses the problems of the public procurement system in Russia. Despite significant legislative changes, the national public procurement system still has persistent problems, including price dumping, regulatory conflicts, and a lack of competition in tenders. The answers given by survey participants were analyzed in the context of their work experience and other factors. One reason procurers and suppliers continue to have a negative perception of government regulation in this area is the fact that changes in procurement legislation have focused on satisfying the interests of departmental agencies while largely ignoring the concerns of individuals directly participating in the procurement process. For this reason, we offer several proposals for how to regularly monitor the opinions and assessments of ordinary procurers and suppliers.