Integrating Social Procurement into Infrastructure Projects: A Strategic Framework for Value Enhancement

Abstract

Infrastructure projects are vital for social and economic development, yet current public procurement processes often prioritize cost over generating social outcomes. In response, social procurement offers a progressive alternative by using purchasing power to deliver social benefits, addressing issues such as inequality, unemployment, and social exclusion. With Sri Lanka’s growing infrastructure sector, there is strong potential to embed social procurement through community engagement and inclusion. However, research on the integration of social procurement within Sri Lanka is limited, and the existing literature lacks comprehensive frameworks for overcoming implementation challenges. Thus, this study aims to develop a framework for performance enhancement of infrastructure procurement projects by the fusion of social procurement in Sri Lanka. Using an interpretivist philosophy, this qualitative case study drew on semistructured interviews and document reviews, analyzed through narrative inquiry and code-based manual content analysis. The study selected an embedded multicase study utilizing a completed project in Moratuwa and Colombo, Sri Lanka. Findings reveal 31 features of social procurement, 35 challenges encountered, and 24 strategies, demonstrating practical resolution pathways. Notably, all four types of social procurement show promise within Sri Lanka. Furthermore, the study proposed a framework to introduce social procurement to Sri Lanka. The proposed framework provides a policy- and practice-oriented pathway for introducing social procurement within Sri Lanka’s existing procurement environment, integrating organizational, contractual, and governance considerations. This research contributes to the promotion of inclusion, equity, and sustainability in developing contexts.