Regional Differentiation and Public Procurement as a Mechanism for Stimulating the Economies of the Russian Federation Constituent Entities

This article examines the mechanisms by which public procurement influences regional development in the Russian Federation and develops practical recommendations for enhancing this influence in the current context of sanctions and the need to achieve technological sovereignty. The study identifies four groups of Russian regions based on their level of involvement in the public procurement system: leading regions (Moscow, St. Petersburg, and the Moscow and Leningrad regions), industrially developed regions (Tatarstan, Sverdlovsk Region, Krasnoyarsk Region, etc.), regions with an average level of participation, and outsider regions. It is shown that the existing regional differentiation creates a vicious circle: regions with low levels of participation are deprived of development impetus, further reducing their competitiveness. Key barriers for regional producers are identified, and measures for improving legislation and developing institutional support for public procurement in the regions are systematized. Recommendations have been developed for federal, regional, and municipal authorities, as well as for the business community, to mobilize the potential of public procurement for regional development. The study found that public procurement represents a powerful, yet underutilized, tool for regional development. Given sanctions restrictions and the need for import substitution, the role of public procurement as an economic policy tool is significantly increasing. Implementing the proposed recommendations will achieve significant economic, social, and strategic benefits. Transforming the public procurement system into a driver of regional development requires the concerted efforts of all levels of government and the business community.