The Chamber of Accounts of the Dominican Republic published this Monday the coordinated audit of sustainable public procurement linked to the goal of the SDG (Sustainable Development Goals) 12.7, on “promoting public procurement practices that are sustainable”, carried out in coordination with INTOSAI (International Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions), between January 1, 2019 and December 31, 2020.
The audit evidenced a lack of traceability of the Purchasing and Contracting Law with the National Development Strategy, since the aforementioned Law does not contain criteria of environmental sustainability and inclusiveness for the population that suffers disadvantages or deprivations that limit their options and opportunities with relation to others in society, such as people with disabilities and in conditions of extreme poverty; by virtue of the fact that it was issued before the establishment of the National Development Strategy.
Other findings
Low allocation to women in public procurement processes in relation to men. State institutions that have not implemented the use of the transactional portal for the management of State purchases and contracts
“In the analysis carried out at the end of 2020, when comparing the institutions of the Financial Management Information System (SIGEF), made up of 721 entities, versus the list of those that are incorporated in the transactional portal of the General Directorate of Procurement Public (DGCP), made up of 338 entities, a total of 383 institutions were found that were not registered in the transactional portal, for 53% of the total number of entities that trade in the SIGEF”.
Limitations in the data system of the General Directorate of Public Procurement (DGCP)
“The information that is generated through the data system that contains the purchasing processes, does not allow formulating reports with historical closures that facilitate verifying the total awarded for a given period, because it is constantly updated.
Similarly, it was observed that for the audited periods the data provided by the General Directorate of Public Procurement has an “unclassified” line, which represents 66% of the total awarded for the 2019 and 2020 periods, respectively, which makes it impossible to know the exact total amount awarded according to the business classification, that is, micro, small, medium and large companies”.
Lack of indicators and statistical data for coherent measurement between the public policies applied and the achievement of target 12.7 in the Dominican Republic of target SDG 12.7 (promote public procurement practices that are sustainable).
Lack of coherence and traceability between the strategic and operational plans and the National Development Strategy 2030.
“In the verification of the strategic and operational plans of 11 government entities, it was found that, although aspects of the Agreed National Goal have been considered in its preparation, aspects that promote sustainable public procurement as stipulated in the SDG goal were not considered. 12.7”.