Public procurement as social policy? an introduction to social criteria in public procurement in Germany

Public Procurement – i.e. the purchase of goods and services by public sector bodies – accounts for nearly one fifth of GDP in the European Union (European Commission, 2012). In Germany, public procurement by general government and state-own utilities is estimated to account for about 17% of GDP (OECD, 2011). However, as no verified and compiled data exists that includes all levels of government, all types of purchases (especially low value purchases),
all fields of procurement (e.g. construction, IT, rescue services, or catering) and all those institutions that fall under the scope of public procurement regulations in Germany, this is but a vague estimation and has to be taken with caution.1 Undoubtedly though, public procurement accounts for an important amount as well as a wide range of goods and services
purchased.