Procurement

Procurement is the purchase of goods and services by government.  States, cities, and counties account for more than half of all U.S. public-sector purchasing.   Government procurement is regulated by the WTO, and some state purchasing has also been covered by recent free trade agreements--which is controversial, since states and cities are beginning to build social and environmental criteria into their purchasing decisions.  This section looks at who's covered, rules on procurement, and innovations by states and cities.