In 2022, the National Business Association of Colombia (ANDI) and the Organisation for Economic Co‑operation and Development (OECD) agreed that the OECD would conduct an analysis and evaluation of information and communication technology (ICT) procurement practices and processes in three Latin American countries: Chile, Colombia and Mexico. The OECD would focus on analysing practices related to competitive neutrality and market engagement in the procurement of computers and laptops, in light of the principles established in the 2015 OECD Recommendation of the Council on Public Procurement. The objective was to identify best practices and areas of opportunity and to develop evidence-based recommendations. The recommendations in this report are aimed at improving competition, efficiency, effectiveness, neutrality and dialogue with markets in the procurement of computers in Latin America.
This report provides an overview of the public procurement process for computers in Chile, Colombia and Mexico, focusing on the general context, competition and technological neutrality, industry engagement and the roles played by key entities such as government buyers, suppliers and the leading procurement and digital government authorities (ChileCompra, the Budget Directorate [DIPRES] and the Division of Digital Government [DGD] in Chile; Colombia Compra Eficiente [CCE], the Office of the Senior Counsellor for Digital Transformation and the Ministry for ICT [MinTIC] in Colombia; and the Ministry of Public Administration [SFP] and the Co-ordination for the National Digital Strategy [CEDN] in Mexico). The report highlights some of the most important challenges and opportunities and provides recommendations for improving the procurement process and fostering innovation and competition.
The report also includes information and perspectives from different stakeholders, including control and audit bodies, competition agencies, digital government authorities, business chambers and academia. Such perspectives were vital to compare views and collect evidence to support the findings and recommendations. The report thus brings together the visions and the opportunities identified by stakeholders for competitive, fit-for-purpose and cost-efficient processes for the procurement of computers.
This report also builds on the evidence base the OECD has been developing relative to ICT procurement practices, particularly in countries such as Greece and the Slovak Republic. Indeed, the 2022 reports Digital Transformation Projects in Greece’s Public Sector: Governance, Procurement, and Implementation and Towards Agile ICT Procurement in the Slovak Republic: Good Practices and Recommendations analysed the synergies between public procurement policies and digital government strategies leading to improved service delivery. Although the present report focuses specifically on computers and laptops, some of the lessons and recommendations, particularly regarding vendor neutrality, can be applied to other digital products, such as software.
Focusing on the main actors involved and the challenges and opportunities identified, the report is organised into four main sections: supporting public service delivery and digital transformation through ICT procurement; structuring procurement processes to foster competition and vendor neutrality; market engagement strategies; and challenges, good practices and recommendations to foster competition and neutrality in the procurement of computers in Latin America.