Female Mayors and Public Procurement

Erminia Florio () and Giancarlo Spagnolo ()
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Erminia Florio: University of Rome "Tor Vergata" & HEC Montreal, http://www.ceistorvergata.it
Giancarlo Spagnolo: DEF, University of Rome "Tor Vergata" & EIEF, http://www.ceistorvergata.it

No 623, CEIS Research Paper from Tor Vergata University, CEIS

Abstract: This paper investigates the role of mayors’ gender in shaping public procurement at the local level. Using a Regression Discontinuity Design (RDD) and unique datasets on Italian procurement records, firm-level data, and political information spanning 2013-2019, we explore whether procurement contracts published under female mayors exhibit different outcomes compared to those under male mayors in close elections. The results indicate modest differences in procurement practices between female and male mayors: female mayors rely less on negotiated contracts and more on direct awards. Female leadership is also associated with fewer renegotiations and a (surprisingly) lower likelihood of appointing female procurement officers, while no differences emerge in winner characteristics or other post-award outcomes.

Keywords: Gender; Public Procurement; Regression Discontinuity (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: H57 J16 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 32 pages
Date: 2026-07-03, Revised 2026-07-03
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