Digital Green Public Procurement as an E-Governance Instrument: How E-Procurement Design Features Drive Supplier Decarbonization and Traceability

Abstract

Governments worldwide are increasingly leveraging public procurement as a strategic instrument to advance climate objectives, yet empirical evidence on how digital procurement systems translate sustainability policies into measurable environmental outcomes remains limited. This study investigates Digital Green Public Procurement (DGPP) as an e-governance mechanism and examines how specific e-procurement design features drive supplier decarbonization and supply chain traceability. Drawing on institutional, stakeholder, and information systems theories, the research develops and tests a conceptual framework linking mandatory environmental criteria, carbon reporting mechanisms, supplier monitoring dashboards, and interoperability with environmental databases to sustainability performance outcomes. Using a quantitative research design, primary survey data were collected from procurement professionals and suppliers engaged with public e-procurement platforms, complemented by secondary system-level sustainability data. Structural equation modeling was employed to assess direct, mediating, and moderating relationships within the proposed framework. The findings reveal that digitally embedded sustainability requirements significantly enhance supplier decarbonization performance, with traceability and transparency acting as critical mediating mechanisms. Regulatory pressure and supplier digital capability further strengthen these relationships, underscoring the importance of institutional context and technological readiness. The study contributes to e-governance and sustainable procurement literature by demonstrating that procurement digitalization functions not merely as an efficiency tool but as a regulatory infrastructure capable of shaping supplier behavior and accelerating climate action. From a policy perspective, the results highlight the need for governments to prioritize sustainability-oriented system design when modernizing procurement platforms. Overall, the research positions DGPP as a viable and scalable governance pathway for aligning public purchasing power with long-term decarbonization goals.