The Silent Tax Of Government Procurement

The Fiscal Policy Podcast with Fexingo: Government Budgets, Stimulus, and Public Spending · Oct 23, 2026 · 12m · transcript

We drill into the economics of public procurement, where government buying power creates hidden inefficiencies and market distortions. Lucas and Luna examine how contract structures, sole-source justifications, and compliance costs quietly inflate prices for taxpayers while limiting competition. Using concrete examples from infrastructure and IT spending, we explore why the path from bid to delivery is often longer and more expensive than private sector equivalents. This episode breaks down the specific mechanics that turn billions in taxpayer dollars into bureaucratic overhead, offering…