Glossary entry

English term or phrase:

Public Procurements

English answer:

can be plural

Added to glossary by Peter Simon
Nov 13, 2014 11:10
9 yrs ago
9 viewers *
English term

Public Procurements

English Other Other Singular or Plural
I wonder if the term "public procurement" can be used in plural in official documents. I did see some cases, but they are few. In fact, I would prefer using "purchases" but need to stick to "public procurement" as the set term. "Public procurement operations" doesn't google much either.

Can I write, for instance .... the agency is responsible for ogranising and performing public procurements?

Thank you in advance
Change log

Nov 18, 2014 08:56: Peter Simon Created KOG entry

Responses

+3
13 mins
Selected

can be plural

Apple/Mac Dictionary: procurements: the action of obtaining or procuring something : financial assistance for the procurement of legal advice | the company's procurements from foreign firms.
• the action or occupation of acquiring military equipment and supplies : defense procurement.

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Note added at 15 mins (2014-11-13 11:25:44 GMT)
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All results for the search word 'procurements', here as well: http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/procure...

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Note added at 16 mins (2014-11-13 11:27:34 GMT)
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Besides, 'public procurement' is a special way of getting suppliers, most often for projects for the public good and making the request public, so this word can't be substituted by 'purchases' or anything else.

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Note added at 2 hrs (2014-11-13 13:51:52 GMT)
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As far as I know, "comply with one or more public procurement rules", "the public procurement procedure launched pursuant to Council Decision..., "values referred to in the public procurement directives may be awarded...", "pursuant to a public procurement procedure","service for which public procurement has been announced", "simplify public procurement procedures" can be found on Wordbee and in actual papers, but it's very rare that you collocate a verb with it. My guess would be that one 'can follow a p.pr. procedure', 'act on a p.pr.', perhaps even 'execute a p.pr.', but I don't remember ever seeing such phrases.

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Note added at 2 hrs (2014-11-13 13:56:31 GMT)
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Furthermore, I'd find it strange that, as you've asked, an agency may be 'responsible for ogranising and performing public procurement(s)'. It's not the plural, but the fact that p.pr's are usually made public by governmental bodies, so I'd find your sentence strange from this point of view.

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Note added at 8 hrs (2014-11-13 19:36:12 GMT)
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Asker, in that case, it's a possible sentence, although in Hungary, for example, I don't think we would call those bodies agencies, rather government offices, but agency could also be an option. In Eastern Europe, a lot of things may happen, so go along with that if you know. All in all, the plural is not often used, but can be used, also in your sentence.
Note from asker:
OK. What verbs collocate with public procurements? Perform, carry out, execute...?
Well, it may be a government agency, and actually it is in my case: an authorised body
Peer comment(s):

agree Jack Doughty
24 mins
Thank you, Jack
agree Yvonne Gallagher : yes, but generally kept in singular
3 hrs
Absolutely true, but thanks anyway
agree Tina Vonhof (X)
4 hrs
Thank you, Tina
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4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "Thank you very much"
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