Colombia has a National Policy for Productive Transformation and Promotion of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (CONPES 3484 of 2007), which specifically aims at encouraging the use of the domestic market through public procurement.
When developing the SME policies included in CONPES 3484 of 2007, it was found that there are a number of characteristics that limit their participation in the market. These are i) low innovation capacity; ii) limited use of information and communication technologies (ICTs); iii) limited access to adequate financing; iv) problems in marketing their products and obtaining inputs. Based on these findings, a strategy was designed to enhance the participation of SMEs in government purchases.
The Decree 1082 of 2015, compiling regulations related to public procurement, includes provisions that favour SMEs in public procurement. The Decree also establishes some preferences for the national goods, services and offers submitted by SMEs and bidders who accredit at least 10% of their payroll to those in condition of disability. Furthermore, the country’s regulatory framework on public procurement establishes a public procurement process to be limited to micro-enterprises and SMEs when:
1. The amount of the procurement process is lower than USD 125 000.
2. At least three micro, small or medium-sized enterprises express their interest in limiting the process to micro, small and medium-sized enterprises during the time between publication of the prior studies and documents and one business day before the opening of the procurement process.
SME support policy is further reinforced by the Productive Development Policy, which aims at facilitating business so as to promote the internal market. In particular, the policy promotes transformation from the actual production process into diversified and sophisticated productive activities. These in turn can generate growth, added value, technology, and the integration of national suppliers into local market. Additionally, the Productive Development Policy includes increasing awareness among the public administration of the importance of incorporating compliance with technical standards as a requirement for public procurement processes, and calls for scientific and technological development.
