Value for money in public sector construction procurement

Australian State Governments make significant investments in infrastructure related construction projects every year. The introduction of Best Value in Local Government contexts changed the focus of procurement from lowest cost to value based. Value for money is frequently the mantra of those spending public money, however, little is known about what it means in the context of construction procurement by public sector clients. This paper explores value for money from the client side through the perceptions of those procuring public sector infrastructure projects. This paper presents a complex perspective of value for money and argues that the perspective of those procuring within the public sector is crucial, because they are the proxies for public interest and shape how procurement is undertaken operationally.