The extent of single sourcing in defence procurement and its relevance as a corruption risk: A first look

Single-source, or non-competitive, defence procurement is a widespread phenomenon that is prevalent both in devel- oping countries and in advanced arms exporting countries. The usual competitive bidding process – which assists in both value-for-money evaluation and in lowering corruption risk – is used much less often than expected in defence procurement. Whilst there can be good reasons for single sourcing, the opportunities and inducements for corruption are significantly escalated.