European regulations governing procurement of works, supplies and services are a well established part of the project management landscape. In many quarters, however, they are viewed as an obstacle to be worked around rather than as a tool to improve project delivery.

Many smaller firms in particular believe that, in the case of single appointments, the pre-qualification process eats up resources and the assessment might discriminate against them. Furthermore, many participants in tender competitions are concerned about how selection criteria, such as design quality, are dealt with objectively.