Launch of the Open Information Portal on Public Procurement in Ecuador

This initiative was built in the context of the Open Government Commitment of SERCOP (National Public Procurement Service) that is part of the first National Open Government Action Plan 2019-2022. SERCOP is the governing body of the National Public Procurement System (SNCP), responsible for developing and administering the Official Public Procurement System of Ecuador (SOCE) and for setting the policies and conditions for public procurement nationwide. It has focused its work based on the axes of transparency, quality, efficiency, effectiveness and savings for the State, and guarantees compliance with its principles, values and integrated quality and anti-bribery policy in public procurement processes. This portal is a fundamental tool to fulfill the objectives of the SOCE.

The development of the Platform has an Open Government approach, which is why civil society, academia, the private sector and the public sector collaborated with the purpose of improving the efficiency, transparency, publicity and quality of public procurement in Ecuador. With the implementation of this tool, Ecuador expects to improve the dissemination, use and quality of public procurement data by the different stakeholders of the National Public Procurement System (SNCP). Similarly, it facilitates access to information and improves accountability on public procurement actions, with the purpose of creating reforms with a sustainable impact to optimize decision-making in public procurement procedures.

So far in 2021, the platform has recorded at least 127,163 procurement procedures, which account for a total amount awarded of USD 3.5 million . The portal also allows users to navigate according to type of contract, industry, agencies, companies and contract amount.

During the event, Camilo Cetina, chief executive of the Digital Innovation Directorate of the State at CAF—development bank of Latin America—, announced the institution’s programmatic proposal on integrity policies. He also spoke about the importance of digital innovations and technologies aimed to improve government transparency and public efficiency.

The recording of the event is available on the official site of Ecuador’s open procurement. This initiative is expected to be replicated by more countries in the region, allowing Latin American governments to make better use of available data and better control over public procurement.