VALUE ENGINEERING FOR SUSTAINABLE INFRASTRUCTURE IN NEPAL: BRIDGING THE RESOURCE GAP THROUGH PROCUREMENT REFORM

Nepal's chronic infrastructure deficit, characterized by delays, cost overruns, and poor quality, remains a primary barrier to achieving its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).This paper identifies the root cause as a procurement system that seriously emphasizes the lowest initial bid, entirely overlooking long-term lifecycle value.In employing a comparative study of best international practices and a critical examination of Nepal's procurement system, this study directs the attention to the revolutionary capability of Value Engineering (VE).By comparative examination of the Public Procurement Act (PPA), Standard Bidding Documents (SBDs), and FIDIC contracts, the research proposes realistic, law-oriented reforms for VE mainstreaming.