Towards a vital infrastructure sector:The development of a two-stage procurement approach for infrastructure projects through action learning

In many European countries, the management of public infrastructure networks faces major challenges due to, for example, climate change, ageing infrastructure facilities, and demographic changes. Public infrastructure administrators often develop and renew infrastructure facilities through projects. However, infrastructure projects are infamous for delays and cost overruns, and the infrastructure sector is on a constant quest to balance lawful and efficient use of societal resources and at the same time allow private companies to realise decent profits.<br/>Recently in the Netherlands, Rijkswaterstaat – the executive agency of the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management – started the programme ‘Vital Infrastructure Sector’. In this programme, Rijkswaterstaat and private companies develop new ways of working – more collaborative, innovative and sustainable – and a fair distribution of risks and benefits. An example is the development of a two-stage procurement approach. This approach aims to reduce the risk profile of projects, so that Rijkswaterstaat and private companies are confronted with fewer surprises in the implementation phase. The Vital Infrastructure Sector’ programme deployed action learning to develop the collective capability of practising the two-stage procurement approach by experimenting in multiple infrastructure projects simultaneously, and building a learning community that shared experiences with different aspects of this approach across these projects.<br/>Based on an analysis of documents and interviews with the programme manager and coaches responsible for the learning strategy, project managers from the pilot projects, and a focus group discussion with coaches, we analysed whether and how the action learning strategy worked and enabled organisational learning. The results show that the learning strategy was not applied in a structured way and could benefit from a more programmatic approach. Still, the applied interventions did actually establish and enhance the link between action learning and organisational learning.