At times the public procurement changes and any new laws or regulations can affect the consideration of the factors discussed above. Even the new recent EU procedures are no exception, which can determine how and when these attributes can be applied. It is important to identify these legal issues and determine what aspects can and cannot be included in the selection of maintenance providers. Some states in the USA require the low bid as a mandatory requirement when procuring maintenance contracts.
As mentioned earlier, it is the institutional and cultural practices that sometimes determine why there are differences between the methods applied in different countries. It appears that there is no universal standard while some countries are willing to consider other factors than price. For construction projects Hughes e. a. (2006) concludes that selection should be based on other than price, but the same philosophy can also be applied to maintenance type contracts, where other factors should be considered and what added "value" can be gained. Selection based upon value and other attributes is difficult and requires accountability in the public sector. There needs to be a demand or desire away from the well-worn traditional procedures.