Invitation to Cover the 2024 NRF International Conference on Public Procurement

Public Procurement in South Africa is entering a new phase with the enactment of the Public Procurement Act 28 of 2024. With the innovation mandate of the National Research Foundation (NRF), the NRF is excited to be hosting the second International Public Procurement conference on 04 and 05 September 2024. The event will bring together leading local and international scholars, policymakers, and practitioners to discuss the latest practices in procurement methods and in public procurement.

Some of the international speakers who will deliver papers at the conference are:

• Prof Tünde Tátrai, Professor of Economics at Corvinus University of Budapest. Prof Tátrai is a member of the International Research Study of Public Procurement and a member of the Multi-stakeholder Expert Group on eProcurement of the European Commission. Her current research interests include public procurement, electronic procurement and sustainable purchasing.
• Prof Gian Luigi Albano, Divisional Head of the Italian Government’s company in charge of the centralisation and modernisation of public spending for goods, services and civil works. Gian Luigi is also co-author of the leading monograph book The Law and Economics of Framework Agreements.
• Prof George Nwangwu, Professor of Law, Nile University of Nigeria and Extraordinary Professor, Department of Public Law, Stellenbosch University. Prof Nwangwu is an expert in Public Private Partnerships (PPPs).
• Prof Christopher Yukins, Professor of Government Procurement Law at George Washington University. Prof Yukins teaches and writes on anti-corruption strategies, contract formations, bid protests, contract claims, information technology procurement, and international and comparative public procurement law.
• Dr Dolores Kuchina-Musina, consults on Government contracting, particularly in delivering innovative solutions, strategic insights, and compliance. She recently co-authored a book on Public Procurement for Innovation.
• Ms René King, based in Melbourne Australia, Ms King is an innovative systems thinker who champions efficiency, diversity, and sustainability, particularly with regards to the technical requirements within complex bid specifications.
• Prof Andrea Patrucco and Prof Ana Maria Dimand from Florida, USA, are recognised experts on framework agreements and sustainable public procurement.

The conference will include a range of local speakers such as Prof Sope Williams, Prof Geo Quinot, Dr Tebogo Makube, Inba Thumbiran, Ntuthuzelo Gobozi, Helen Venter, Jainthree Sankar, Santie Roy, Angelo Syce and Shaun Scott.

In-person and online registrations have exceeded 400 which is high for a local academic conference. Opportunities for online registration remain open at International Conference on Public Procurement 2024 – National Research Foundation (nrf.ac.za)

Event details:
Venue: NRF Building, South Gate, CSIR Complex, Meiring Naudé Road, Brummeria, Pretoria
Dates: 04 and 05 September 2024
Time: 10:00 to 17:00

Media Contact:
Bongani Nkosi, Media Relations Officer, National Research Foundation, +27 61 477 3064, b.nkosi@nrf.ac.za