Effects of the law reforming public works contracts on the Italian building process

The Italian construction industry was rocked by the scandals regarding procurement by the public sector during the early 1990s. Although not confined to construction, the role of the state in construction demand meant that it was one of the most heavily implicated sectors. Known as 'tangentopoli', the scandals have prompted a major reform of public sector procurement in the Italian industry which, combined with changes required to conform with EU directives, is leading to a profound cultural change in the industry. This paper provides an authoritative review of the changes in the procurement codes and the roles and relationships within the construction industry. It shows how the project management of public sector programmes is being strengthened, and how the procurement of the design and construction processes is being separated to provide greater transparency in the process. Although it is too soon to tell what the actual impact of these changes will be upon construction industry practice, some suggestions are made in the concluding comments.