Abbey Abramson

  Non-negotiable checklist for climate projects What good looks like: A pledge of non-negotiables for climate-stressed assets Turn this checklist into a commitment by adopting one non-negotiable item in your upcoming projects. Empower yourself to make a tangible difference in ensuring infrastructure integrity and resilience. Design phase Future-proofed elevations: crest levels and outfall inverts set to future design storms/sea levels, with freeboard per code (IPCC, 2021; USACE, 2000). Complete sections: specify core material, filters, toe protection, and slope revetment sizing according to local flow/wave data (BC Riprap Guide; USACE). Redundancy: second power feed for pumps, spare capacity for one unit out of service, overflow bypasses. Procurement & supervision Open designs and BoQ: publish for scrutiny; prohibit "brand-locked" materials unless justified (see Chapter 4). For instance, in XYZ city, making BoQs publicly accessible led to an 18% reduction in change or...

  Procurement pitfalls and corruption Procurement Pitfalls: From Bid-Rigging to Ghost Deliveries Why this Chapter Matters As dawn broke over the coastal village , the family of four awoke to an ominous rumble. Sleepily rising from their makeshift beds, they stepped outside only to find the embankment designed to protect them from surging tides was crumbling into the sea. Their home, like many others, stood defenseless. If climate adaptation is only as strong as the infrastructure we build, then procurement is the hinge on which safety swings. When the rules governing public works purchases are bent by cartels, kickbacks, front companies, and "creative" change orders, lives are put at risk. That is not rhetoric. Where collusion raises prices and slashes quality, embankments slump, culverts choke, mangroves die, and shelters fail the night they’re needed most (World Bank, 2014; OECD, 2025). By the end of this chapter, you'll be equipped to identify five common scams in proc...

Procurement process and how it should work How procurement should work (and what to check) Planning & market sounding Should publish procurement plans with realistic timelines and budgets, so competent bidders can prepare. Red flags: artificial urgency; splitting contracts to avoid thresholds; unexplained direct awards. Tender stage Open, competitive tendering is the default. Documents must be publicly available; OCDS fields (planning • tender • award • contract • implementation) should be completed. Red flags: tailor-made specs, brand-locking, excessive experience thresholds, “one day” bid windows, hidden addenda. Citizen check: Track number of bidders; unusual patterns (same few companies); complaints filed. Open-contracting evidence shows that competition increases and prices fall when data are open and used (OCP impact).  Award & contract Publish the winning bid, evaluation scores, contract price vs. estimated cost, performance bonds, and change-order rules. Red fl...