Hawker stall rental using bidding system is flawed

Bidding is a competitive process where contenders (i.e., bidders) express the price they are willing to pay for the item presented (with ask price). Anyone who expressed the highest bid price wins the item.

Singapore National Environmental Agency (NEA) is entity that offer the tender for bidders to express their highest price for monthly stall rental (ref. 1).

Bidding is susceptible to spikes and outliers, e.g. a lady who bidded $10,028 per month for a hawker stall to sell drink. According to NEA, the average price is $1,500 within a range of $5 to $5,000 (ref. 3). This would mean that the rental is $1,500 +/- 20% or from $1,200 to $1,800. So, the $10k monthly rental is considered very high for a drink stall.

The bidding process is also susceptible to those bidders who are out to win the bid and then sublet or assign the winning at higher price to others (in order to profit). NEA said they ensured that sublet and reassignment are not allowed, but did not elaborate how they will monitor and control this practice. I guess it would require stall operators to report this to the authorities.

For more information refer to ref. 4.

Reference

1. NEA tender notice (https://www.nea.gov.sg/corporate-functions/resources/tender-notices)
2. Bidder ends deal on record $10,028 monthly rental bid for Chomp Chomp hawker stall (https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/10028-monthly-rental-bid-for-chomp-chomp-hawker-stall-highest-in-3-years-bidder-walked, 30 Aug 2018)
3. NEA adopts transparent tender system for hawker stalls (https://www.nea.gov.sg/media/readers-letters/index/nea-adopts-transparent-tender-system-for-hawker-stallshttps://www.nea.gov.sg/media/readers-letters/index/nea-adopts-transparent-tender-system-for-hawker-stalls)
4. Information for stallholder (https://www.nea.gov.sg/our-services/hawker-management/information-for-stallholders)