Examples of bribery by bidder

The main examples of bribery by a bidder during the procurement phase of an infrastructure project revolve around an attempt by the bidder to obtain an improper advantage in its bid. 

This will normally involve the person receiving the bribe abusing the procurement procedures so that the bidder will win.  For example, the bidder offers bribes to:

• a procurement manager in order to ensure that its bid is successful (e.g. by the procurement manager providing additional unmerited evaluation points to the bidder, or improperly deducting evaluation points from other bidders)
• a design engineer to include in the design or specification a provision with which only that bidder can comply, and which is sufficiently significant to result in the disqualification of the other bidders
• a bid evaluation manager to provide confidential information on how the bid will be evaluated, or the estimated contract price.

Examples of bribery by a manager of the project owner

The main examples of bribery by a manager of the project owner or by a public official during the procurement phase are a mirror image of the examples given above of bribery by a bidder.  The manager or public official may demand bribes from a bidder in return for abusing the procurement procedures so as to favour the bidder.

Later pages in this module on abuse of procurement procedures examine in more detail the range of procedures which can be corruptly abused.