Competitive negotiated procedure in Norwegian public infrastructure projects

Purpose Competitive negotiated procedure (CNP) is one of the procurement procedures that public owners can use. Despite the importance of the procedure, there is a notable lack of empirical studies investigating how it can be effectively implemented to improve future practices. The purpose of this paper is to suggest measures to improve the use of CNP in future projects. Design/methodology/approach In addition to the literature review, a document study and 42 semistructured in-depth interviews with key informants from four Norwegian public infrastructure projects were carried out. Findings CNP is a flexible procurement procedure used in projects with different characteristics. CNP clarifies uncertainties and creates a common understanding between the contracting parties in the procurement phase. Even though CNP is resource-demanding, all contracting parties saw the advantages of the procedure. Practical implications Three suggestions for future projects are developed: first, to exploit the flexibility that CNP offers; second, to adapt the procurement procedure to specific project characteristics; and third, to standardize the steps of CNP. For example, the evaluation step can be standardized to avoid legal problems, increase the contractors’ trust in the procedure and increase transparency. Social implications Effective application of CNP advances the efficient use of public resources for projects in public procurement to create long-term benefits for society. Originality/value The authors studied four projects that used CNP, aiming to provide firsthand information on how it can be implemented effectively to improve future practices.