Nevi thesis awards presented once again this year

Winners

In the category of higher professional education (HBO) theses, the joint first prize goes to Fleur Biesot and Luuk Halve, both from The Hague University of Applied Sciences, studying Business Administration and Facility Management respectively. Together with the Central Government Procurement Cooperation, Fleur Biesot investigated the bottlenecks in using SROI criteria (Socially Responsible Commissioning and Procurement) in tendering procedures of public organisations. In practice, societal impact appears to carry less weight than policy prescribes, mainly due to the human tendency to give scores “around the middle”, which effectively reduces the influence of SROI criteria. Her recommendations focus on alternative award models, raising awareness and embedding knowledge through ambassadors.
Luuk Halve researched opportunities to “green” IT procurement at Logius, the government organisation responsible for standards and core digital services. His research shows that tactical and operational buyers have limited knowledge in this area, while contract managers often lack the mandate and practical tools to act. His thesis recommends clarifying policy, structuring consultation around tenders, and tailoring training to the specific roles involved. This year, the jury decided not to award additional prizes in the HBO category.

In the category of university (WO) theses, the third prize goes to David van Duin (Tilburg University, Supply Chain Management) for his research on the use of sustainability KPIs in co‑creation within public procurement.

The second prize is shared. Niels van Kaam (Erasmus University Rotterdam, Supply Chain Management) wrote a thesis on the lessons of COVID‑19 for supply chain risk management, and Renee Seuntiëns (University of Twente, Purchasing and Supply Management) researched different strategies to mitigate supply chain disruptions.

The first prize in this category is awarded to Debora van Tricht (University of Groningen, Research Master Economics & Business), who conducted research on collaboration in youth care. Using interviews and document analysis, Debora examined the tension between formal tendering procedures and the need for cooperation and trust among youth care providers. She studied an innovative case in which 30 providers collaborate within a single municipality. Her research leads to recommendations for procurement practice, such as better facilitating collaboration at the level of the individual client and more carefully balancing responsibility and professional autonomy.

The Nevi thesis awards consist of a monetary prize (varying per year), a certificate and one year of free Nevi membership. In addition, the first‑prize winners receive support in publishing an article based on their thesis in the professional journal Deal!.

The award ceremony took place on Tuesday evening, 20 January, at Parkhotel Hugo de Vries in Lunteren.