Preamble

Journal: University Library Work (事业·管理) 2025/2
Title: Research on the Current Status of Government Procurement of Books in Shaanxi Provincial Universities and the Applicability of Relevant Laws, Regulations, and Policies
Author: Ma Zhuying, Tendering and Bidding Office, Xianyang Normal University, Xianyang, Shaanxi
Abstract: This article analyzes the current status of government procurement of books in Shaanxi provincial universities based on statistical data from the Shaanxi Provincial Government Procurement Network spanning 2019–2023. The study finds that government procurement has become the primary method for university library book acquisition, strictly adhering to national laws and regulations. However, existing policies overlook the unique knowledge attributes of books and the diversity of publishing. The article argues for deepening reforms to the government procurement system, balancing legal universality with accommodation for special procurement projects, and building transaction systems aligned with procurement needs. Librarians should proactively adapt, seeking balance between compliance and reasonable outcomes to achieve satisfactory procurement results within legal frameworks, thereby improving collection quality.
Keywords: University library; Book government procurement; Laws and regulations
CLC Number: G253.1

Introduction

Government procurement refers to the act of purchasing goods, engineering, and services within the centralized procurement catalog or above procurement threshold standards using fiscal funds. The legal framework comprises the Government Procurement Law of the People's Republic of China, its implementation regulations, departmental rules issued by the Ministry of Finance, normative documents, and related notices. As institutions serving teaching and research, university libraries primarily rely on fiscal appropriations for book acquisition funds and must therefore operate within the government procurement management system, strictly following prescribed procedures.

Existing research on library government procurement has been predominantly theoretical, with limited empirical studies and even fewer examining how book procurement integrates into the government procurement legal framework. Current studies mainly investigate market scale, bidding problems, and solutions within specific regions. Some scholars have clarified legal application misconceptions in document procurement and identified factors affecting efficiency and quality. Others have analyzed the unique legal attributes of book procurement and existing legal dilemmas, calling for improved regulations and greater librarian agency. However, as government procurement laws continuously evolve, many earlier findings no longer apply. Under current comprehensive budget management, book procurement has been fully integrated into the government procurement system, yet recent industry discussions on legal and policy issues have been relatively quiet.

A review of provincial government procurement websites reveals a massive market scale for library book procurement, particularly in university libraries with large demand volumes and high procurement values. This study systematically organizes and empirically analyzes representative government procurement data for books in Shaanxi provincial universities from 2019 to 2023, examining current practices from legal and regulatory perspectives to stimulate deeper discussion and provide references for improving the government procurement legal system for books.

1. Statistics on Procurement Project Numbers and Amounts

1.1 Data Sources and Statistical Scope

The Shaanxi Provincial Government Procurement Network is the official platform designated by the Shaanxi Provincial Department of Finance for publishing government procurement information. This study examined procurement and result announcements for book acquisition projects published by provincial university libraries from 2019 to 2023. The sample comprises only regular Chinese-language print book procurement projects, excluding discounted Chinese books, foreign-language books, databases, and other resource types. Projects containing both regular books and other resources were excluded if their budget amounts could not be separated.

Due to COVID-19 impacts and Shaanxi provincial regulations that goods and projects under 500,000 yuan fall under self-procurement (no longer requiring announcements on the provincial network), the number of projects in 2020 and 2021 dropped sharply. In other years, project numbers remained relatively stable, reflecting maturing government procurement systems and universal adoption by provincial universities. Some projects announced in one year and completed in the next were uniformly counted in the later year, yielding a total sample of 124 matched projects.

1.2 Project Number Statistics

The distribution of 124 book government procurement projects in Shaanxi provincial universities from 2019 to 2023 shows that 64.5% of projects had procurement amounts between 500,000 and 1,000,000 yuan, while 24.2% were between 1,000,000 and 3,000,000 yuan. Projects exceeding 3,000,000 yuan accounted for only 8.9%, and those under 500,000 yuan represented a mere 2.4%. This concentration reflects both budget constraints and regulatory thresholds.

1.3 Procurement Amount Statistics

Based on Shaanxi Provincial Government Procurement Network data, the total budgeted amount for provincial university book procurement from 2019 to 2023 was 119.83 million yuan, with an average annual procurement value of 23.97 million yuan. The average project value was 966,400 yuan. Since book procurement projects typically use discount-based bidding, actual procurement amounts are usually lower than budgeted amounts.

2. Analysis of Government Procurement Methods

2.1 Annual Statistics on Procurement Methods

Among the 124 sample projects, 110 (88.7%) used open tendering, 11 (8.9%) used competitive consultation, and 3 (2.4%) used competitive negotiation. No projects used inquiry-based procurement. Notably, after July 2020, competitive consultation methods disappeared from the system, indicating policy adjustments.

2.2 Applicability of Procurement Methods

Government procurement methods must be selected according to procurement content and threshold standards as stipulated by law, without arbitrary choice. Common methods include open tendering, invited tendering, competitive negotiation, competitive consultation, single-source procurement, and framework agreements. Single-source procurement applies only when goods or services can be obtained from a unique supplier, which does not apply to books since suppliers are not exclusive and books are not listed in the centralized procurement catalog. Framework agreements require selection from government-publicized supplier pools, also unsuitable for book procurement.

Invited tendering, where purchasers invite qualified suppliers through bidding invitations, offers libraries greater autonomy. However, the Government Procurement Goods and Services Bidding and Tendering Management Measures require that invited tendering involve at least three qualified suppliers, with all recommendations and justifications publicly announced with bid results. In practice, procurement departments avoid invited tendering to prevent disputes and challenges from other suppliers.

Competitive negotiation and inquiry methods have short cycles but select suppliers based on lowest price, leading to quality issues. Suppliers may reduce service quality to maintain profits, creating a "bad money drives out good" scenario. Competitive consultation, involving multi-round negotiations and comprehensive scoring, offers flexibility and serves as a better option for book procurement. However, despite its suitability for projects with "undetermined detailed specifications or requirements," book procurement is still treated as general goods in practice, preventing the use of competitive consultation for projects below open tendering thresholds.

Open tendering, which invites non-specific suppliers through public announcements, has become the dominant method for book procurement in Shaanxi. Although legally required for projects above threshold standards, many projects below thresholds also opt for open tendering. This reflects purchasers' resistance to lowest-price methods and their preference for comprehensive evaluation, representing a choice of the lesser evil when balancing cycle length and quality concerns.

3. Analysis of Government Procurement Results

3.1 Analysis of Result Announcement Timing

Government procurement activities follow strict legal procedures: budget approval, procurement intention公示, plan filing, agency selection, bid document preparation and review, announcement publication, supplier registration, expert selection, evaluation, and result announcement. Since late 2020, all projects above threshold standards must be processed through the government procurement management platform.

The Ministry of Finance's Notice on Government Procurement Intention Disclosure requires intentions be published at least 30 days before procurement begins. Open tendering projects require at least 20 days from announcement to bid opening. Under ideal conditions without delays, the entire process takes about two months. However, in practice, factors such as delayed approvals, communication issues, supplier challenges, and contract negotiations often extend this period.

Statistics show that 77.4% of result announcements were published between May and December, peaking in July–August. Projects announced in the first half typically complete procedures by year-end, but subsequent processes like contracting, delivery, and shelving—compounded by summer breaks—often cause collection gaps or surges, disrupting continuous collection development.

3.2 Analysis of Transaction Discounts

Among 119 projects with discount data, discounts ranged from 55% to 82%, with most concentrated between 65% and 75%. Projects with discounts below 65% were mostly specialized colleges purchasing social science books, while those above 75% typically involved yearbooks or special collections. The average annual discount rate decreased from 72.8% in 2019 to 68.5% in 2023, showing a wave-like decline.

This trend reflects intense price competition among suppliers. Even nationally recognized distributors like Beijing Rentian Bookstore Group have lowered bids to secure market share. While low discounts may seem financially beneficial, they threaten collection quality as suppliers may refuse to provide catalogs from major publishers, avoid exhibitions, block high-value academic titles, and push discounted inventory books. Some suppliers even use bundling tactics, further damaging collection quality.

3.3 Analysis of Supplier Numbers

University libraries serve diverse teaching and research needs across multiple disciplines. Most universities therefore select two or more suppliers to diversify risk and prevent service failures from affecting collection development. Among the 124 sample projects, 70.2% selected 2–3 suppliers, considered manageable while effectively spreading risk.

However, current regulations prohibit qualification-based shortlisting. To engage multiple suppliers, libraries must divide projects into separate packages (e.g., social sciences, natural sciences, arts) or allocate specific shares to each winning supplier. While qualification-based shortlisting would be ideal—allowing libraries to shift orders if one supplier underperforms—regulations require explicit allocation of responsibilities. This creates challenges when urgently needed titles fall outside a supplier's designated category, potentially compromising collection quality.

3.4 Analysis of Winning Suppliers

The 124 projects involved 54 suppliers. Beijing-based suppliers won 46 times, Hubei suppliers 19 times, and Shaanxi local suppliers 18 times. Beijing suppliers dominate due to the city's status as a major book distribution center. Two companies—Beijing Xinhua Cultural Media Co., Ltd. and Beijing Rentian Bookstore Group Co., Ltd.—lead significantly with 21 and 19 wins respectively, forming the first tier. Shanghai Xinhua Media Chain Co., Ltd. trails with 7 wins in the second tier. Local Shaanxi suppliers like Shaanxi Jiahui Hantang Book Distribution Co., Ltd. and Xi'an Xinhua Bookstore Co., Ltd. form the third tier, leveraging geographic advantages for on-site selection services.

4. Conclusions and Discussion

Based on statistical analysis of Shaanxi provincial university book procurement data from 2019 to 2023, this study draws several key conclusions:

First, government procurement has become the primary organizational form for university library book acquisition, with continuously improving institutionalization. It plays an irreplaceable role in standardizing procedures, improving fund utilization, and promoting integrity construction. The market has formed a pattern dominated by large, well-known library suppliers.

Second, existing laws and policies overlook the unique knowledge attributes of books and publishing diversity. Book procurement is treated as general goods procurement, preventing application of flexible methods like competitive consultation for projects below open tendering thresholds. This forces libraries to choose open tendering despite its long cycle, representing a compromise between compliance and reasonableness.

Third, procurement cycles are excessively long. Although fiscal budgets are issued in early March, the required 30-day intention disclosure period plus 20-day bidding period means ideal completion takes two months, often extending longer in practice. This disrupts the continuity of collection development.

Fourth, price competition remains intense and escalating. Average discount rates have declined annually, with even top suppliers engaging in price wars. While low prices may seem beneficial, they ultimately damage collection quality through supplier strategies like catalog withholding and inventory pushing.

To address these challenges, several recommendations emerge:

Policy Reform: The government should recognize the特殊性 of book procurement in legal frameworks, allowing competitive consultation methods for projects below open tendering thresholds. This would balance legal universality with accommodation for special procurement needs.

Process Optimization: Libraries should advance procurement planning by publishing intentions early based on departmental budgets, enabling rapid launch once budgets are approved. Universities could also develop two-year budgets to extend supplier service periods, avoiding annual re-bidding while providing stable partnerships.

Librarian Agency: Librarians must proactively balance legal compliance with reasonable outcomes. They should advocate for policy improvements through professional associations and research projects, while actively managing procurement processes to ensure quality.

Collaborative Models: Drawing from successful examples like Zhejiang Province's joint procurement model for university libraries, collaborative approaches can reduce costs, improve efficiency, and enhance professional focus. Such models allow librarians to concentrate on collection analysis and user needs rather than administrative procedures.

In conclusion, while government procurement provides essential legal and procedural frameworks for university library book acquisition, its current implementation fails to account for the unique characteristics of books as knowledge carriers. Through policy reform, process innovation, and proactive professional engagement, it is possible to achieve both compliance and high-quality collection development, ultimately supporting academic excellence and cultural prosperity.