The World Bank has launched the Global Public Procurement Database (GPPD), a first-of-its-kind knowledge product that makes public procurement information from 218 countries and territories available to everyone. The Bank describes the GPPD as a one-stop-shop that aims to help improve transparency, accountability, and efficiency as well as enable an environment conducive to global public procurement reform and the adoption of best practices
The database provides information on all aspects of country public procurement systems, with the goal of supporting continuous reforms and allows the country to compare side-by-side country profiles, procurement practices, laws and regulations, and performance indicators. The data used went through a very rigorous vetting process.
The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime says global expenditure in procurement is estimated at nearly 9.5 trillion US dollars and 10 to 25 per cent of a public contract’s overall value may be lost due to corruption.
The World Bank noted that Governments have great incentive to maximize every penny of their budgets pointing out that better management of the public procurement sector with increased transparency is critical for achieving economic growth and boosting shared prosperity for all. It said it recognizes the potential public procurement can have in assisting governments around the world in meeting their development objectives.
The Bank noted that “there remains a gap in publicly accessible country procurement information available on a user-friendly platform,” and added, “The Global Public Procurement Database (GPPD) was created to fill this void.”
Expatiating further, it said best practices in public procurement go far beyond saving money, but that “it is also about government efficiencies and quality improvements of goods and services as well as transparency over what governments purchase in sectors critical for development, such as health, education, and water.” With this in mind, the bank said, “The GPPD is a one-stop online product of choice for the global public procurement community.”
With its development, everyone from policymakers, procurement professionals, NGOs, academics, members of the private sector, civil society, and citizens can now consult this first of its kind Global Public Procurement Database (GPPD).
The GPPD portal provides information on all aspects of country public procurement systems, with the goal of supporting continuous reforms that will reduce opportunities for corruption and encourage fair, transparent, and efficient spending practices that drive value for money in public spending.
The world institution noted that open access to public procurement data and policies helps citizens hold their governments accountable in how public resources are spent, adding, it also helps spread best practices in government procurement across different countries so that governments can improve how they work in the public procurement sector. Open information to various countries’ procurement practices, laws and policies also benefit the private sector since increased transparency can promote a more fair process for government contract tenders.
This tool allows users to find the procurement data of 218 countries and independent territories. Each country profile convenes information from 2018 on different aspects of a country’s public procurement, which is expected to be extended and updated in the future.
To view and use the Global Public Procurement Database please go to http://t.newsletterext.worldbank.org/r/?id=h74be1f9,365cd10,368473c.
