Module: Public Procurement Law

Module Specifications

Academic Year 2026 - 2027

Module Title	Public Procurement Law
Module Code	LAW1109
Faculty	Humanities & Social Sciences	School	Law & Government
NFQ level	9	Credit Rating	10

Description

Public procurement refers to the process by which public bodies conclude contracts for the purchase of goods or provision of services. EU public bodies spend approximately €2.5 trillion annually on public supplies and services contracts, and prescriptive European rules and policies are in place encouraging public bodies to use this spend to support competitive, innovative, resource and energy efficient, and socially-inclusive economies. This module explores and analyses the structure and efficacy of public procurement legal frameworks. Well-regulated legal systems ensure governments secure optimal financial value for public purchases, while also facilitating international trade flow. In this module, students will investigate the legal framework of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), the United Nations (UN), and the European Union (EU) with regard to the promotion of transparent and non-discriminatory public procurement practices. Students of this module are expected to engage with assessments and activities that identify and critique the core concepts of public procurement regulation with reference to recent national and international case studies.

Learning Outcomes

1. On successful completion of the module, students should be able to: • Demonstrate a critical understanding of the requirements of the Treaty of the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU) regarding public procurement and the procurement requirements according to the EU Public Procurement Directives. • Recognise the public procurement legal systems of the WTO and the UN in their social, economic and political contexts. • Critically evaluate the role of public procurement law in achieving policy objectives such as promotion of competitive, innovative, resource and energy efficient, and socially inclusive economies. • Appraise the nature of international and regional defence procurement systems. • Assess key challenges facing key procurement sectors, such as the health sector and construction sector. • Examine the European remedial and redress legislation. • Critically analyse problem scenarios with reference to legislation, case law and academic literature.

*Type*	*Hours*	*Description*
Workload	Full time hours per semester
Lecture	24	2 hour lecture, class participation expected
Independent Study	226	Research, Reading, Completing Assignment
Total Workload: 250

Section Breakdown
CRN	21454	Part of Term	Semester 2
Coursework	100%	Examination Weight	0%
Grade Scale	40PASS	Pass Both Elements	N
Resit Category	RC1	Best Mark	N
Module Co-ordinator	Emma McEvoy	Module Teacher

Type	Description	% of total	Assessment Date
Assessment Breakdown
Essay	Written Assessment (drafting a request for contract document, maximum 4,000 words)	70%	n/a
Presentation	Oral Presentation (advancing the written assignment by presenting and justifying evaluation criteria for the proposed public contract)	30%	n/a

Reassessment Requirement Type
Resit arrangements are explained by the following categories; RC1: A resit is available for both^* components of the module. RC2: No resit is available for a 100% coursework module. RC3: No resit is available for the coursework component where there is a coursework and summative examination element. ^* ‘Both’ is used in the context of the module having a coursework/summative examination split; where the module is 100% coursework, there will also be a resit of the assessment

Pre-requisite	None
Co-requisite	None
Compatibles	None
Incompatibles	None

All module information is indicative and subject to change. For further information,students are advised to refer to the University's Marks and Standards and Programme Specific Regulations at: http://www.dcu.ie/registry/examinations/index.shtml

Indicative Content and Learning Activities

Indicative Module Content
1. Introduction to Public Procurement Law and Policy 2. European Public Procurement Directives 3. Public Procurement Procedures (Open, Restricted, Negotiated Procedures, Innovative Procedures) 4. Sub-threshold contracting in Ireland 5. Socially responsible public procurement 6. Concessions and Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) 7. European Remedies Directives 8. WTO Government Procurement Agreement / UNICTRAL Model Law 9. Case Study One: Recent legislative changes in EU defence procurement 10. Case Study Two: Construction 11. Case Study Three: Procurement of health services and medicines

Indicative Reading List

Books:

David Browne: 2024, Procurement Law, 2nd, Round Hall Press, 9780414121348
Christopher Bovis: 2016, Research Handbook on EU Public Procurement Law, 1st, Edward Elgar Publishing, 672, 9781781953259
Sue Arrowsmith,Luke RA Butler,Annamaria La Chimia,Christopher Yukins: 2021, Public Procurement Regulation in (a) Crisis?, Bloomsbury Publishing, 641, 9781509943036
Albert Sánchez Graells: 2015, Public Procurement and the EU Competition Rules, 2nd, Bloomsbury Publishing, 626, 9781782259992

Articles:
None

Other Resources

None