This Anti-Corruption Helpdesk brief was produced in response to a query from a U4 Partner Agency. The U4 Helpdesk is operated by Transparency International in collaboration with the U4 Anti-Corruption Resource Centre based at the Chr. Michelsen Institute.
Query
Please give an overview of the main tools and levers (in country and internationally) that can best deter grand corruption between government and the private sector during the award/implementation of public procurement contracts and major concessions and licenses. Please cite developing country examples where possible.
Purpose
We are planning a guidance note and short training module for staff on assessing and responding to the risks of corruption for private sector growth. This note will help us to target our note.
Content
1. Integrity and transparency in public procurement and licensing
2. Promoting corporate integrity
3. References
Caveat
The country examples used in this paper are taken mostly from OECD countries. Only a small number of examples from developing countries could be found.
Summary
All stakeholders have a role to play in building a clean procurement system. This includes civil society and the media who are key to ensuring that the laws, rules and contracts are properly and truthfully implemented.
Public procurement and the award of government contracts is a sphere of government activities that is particularly vulnerable to corruption, being at the meeting point of the public and private sector. To promote integrity in public procurement and government concessions both the supply and demand side of corruption should be tackled. Open contracting, enhanced transparency, integrity and monitoring mechanisms and training of procurement officials, as well as corporate integrity and incentives and deterrents for the private sector should be combined to reduce grand corruption.
Authors
Sofia Wickberg, Transparency International, [email protected]Reviewers
Robin Hodess, Transparency InternationalDate
30/04/2013
