UNDP-为实现东盟可持续发展目标建立透明和开放的公共采购系统（英文）-2021.5-25页_561kb

Summary of "Building Transparent and Open Public Procedure Systems for Achieving the SDGs in ASEAN"

Core Content

This document outlines the importance of transparent and open public procurement systems in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). It emphasizes that such systems are essential for preventing corruption, improving efficiency, and ensuring accountability in the use of public funds. The publication presents a multi-stakeholder approach involving governments, citizens, and the private sector, with a focus on five key components that form the basis of a robust and open procurement ecosystem.

Main Views

• Corruption is a major threat to public procurement, leading to the loss of 10–25% of global procurement funds.
• Open procurement systems can enhance governance, promote fair competition, and support sustainable development.
• Transparency in procurement is a multi-dimensional challenge that requires systemic changes and integrated approaches.
• Citizen engagement is crucial for monitoring and reporting on procurement processes, and can lead to improved accountability and cost savings.
• Private sector involvement is vital for promoting integrity and transparency, especially through responsible business conduct and ethical guidelines.
• Collaboration with oversight institutions is necessary to identify and prevent corruption risks effectively.
• Innovation and technology play a key role in enhancing transparency, enabling real-time monitoring, and promoting open data practices.

Key Information

Five Components of Transparent and Open Public Procurement Ecosystems

1. Transparent and open public procurement institutions

   • Governments must establish institutional frameworks and professional cadres to manage procurement effectively.
   • Legal frameworks should ensure non-discrimination, equal treatment, transparency, and proportionality.
   • Monitoring systems must be publicly accessible to allow scrutiny and flag red flags.

2. Citizen participation, monitoring and reporting

   • Citizens can hold officials accountable and improve service delivery through active engagement.
   • Examples include Ukraine's Prozorro platform and the Philippines' devLIVE app.
   • Collective action and anonymous feedback mechanisms can enhance transparency without exposing individuals to risk.

3. Private sector engagement

   • The private sector can influence procurement practices through ethical guidelines and responsible business conduct.
   • In Indonesia, the Business Links initiative promotes anti-corruption and public-private collaboration.
   • In Thailand, the Integrity Pact involves private sector and academic observers to monitor procurement processes.

4. Collaboration with oversight institutions

   • Oversight is critical for ensuring accountability and consistency in procurement practices.
   • The Philippines' Citizen Participatory Audit (CPA) initiative demonstrates how collaboration between audit bodies and procurement systems can improve transparency.
   • Singapore's GeBiz platform and CPIB show the effectiveness of integrated oversight systems.

5. Inclusive and fair environment for public procurement

   • Public procurement should be accessible to small and medium enterprises (SMEs), women-owned businesses, and persons with disabilities.
   • Inclusive practices help ensure equitable distribution of resources and support underrepresented groups.

Priority Areas for Reform and Action

• Implementing standardized open procurement data systems.
• Enhancing legal frameworks to support transparency and accountability.
• Promoting the use of technology and digital platforms to improve monitoring and reporting.
• Encouraging private sector engagement through ethical guidelines and sustainable practices.
• Strengthening collaboration between government and oversight bodies.

International Examples

• Ukraine: Prozorro e-procurement portal and Dozorro monitoring platform have significantly increased transparency and reduced corruption.
• Georgia: Open-source procurement monitoring and analytics portal.
• Republic of Korea: KONEPS (Korea Online E-Procurement System).
• Philippines: PS-PhilGEPS and devLIVE app.
• Thailand: Integrity Pact and CoST initiatives.
• Singapore: GeBiz platform and CPIB.
• Paraguay: reAcción initiative, led by students, has improved transparency in education funding.
• Hungary: Single Code of Ethics for public procurement, covering both procuring entities and bidders.

Challenges and Recommendations

• Challenges: Limited transparency in procurement, lack of standardized data, and restricted civic space in some regions.
• Recommendations:
  • Develop and enforce open data laws.
  • Publish machine-readable and searchable procurement data.
  • Raise public awareness about the right to information and accountability.
  • Use technology to enhance transparency and reduce corruption risks.
  • Encourage multi-stakeholder collaboration to improve procurement systems.

Conclusion

The publication advocates for a systems approach to public procurement, emphasizing the need for collaboration, transparency, and innovation. It highlights the role of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in supporting the development of open procurement systems in ASEAN, and underscores the importance of international cooperation and local engagement in building more accountable and efficient public procurement ecosystems.