It's true that best value can be gamed, but any system can be gamed.
When buyers can define some evaluation criteria like reviewing the bidder's past performance (delivery on-time vs late, cost overruns) in addition to current bid, they can better assess how smoothly this project will go, and past performance is difficult to game without lying, i.e. submitting a fraudulent bid package.
The procurement field has a number of membership organizations and certifications and these people are largely good and ethical workers who take pride in doing good for their employers. Not all, but the good ones far outnumber the lazy, incompetent, and corrupt. (I'm not one, but worked adjacent to the field for a while, and I think buyers often don't get a fair shake, because the corruption can be shocking when it's visible.)
When buyers can define some evaluation criteria like reviewing the bidder's past performance (delivery on-time vs late, cost overruns) in addition to current bid, they can better assess how smoothly this project will go, and past performance is difficult to game without lying, i.e. submitting a fraudulent bid package.
The procurement field has a number of membership organizations and certifications and these people are largely good and ethical workers who take pride in doing good for their employers. Not all, but the good ones far outnumber the lazy, incompetent, and corrupt. (I'm not one, but worked adjacent to the field for a while, and I think buyers often don't get a fair shake, because the corruption can be shocking when it's visible.)