Jalisco Guadalajara Procurement

CoST Jalisco supports launch of two open data platforms in Guadalajara

In February, CoST Jalisco supported the municipality of Guadalajara, Mexico with the creation and launch of announced two new open data platforms focused on Open Contracting and Public Projects

Guadalajara is the first Mexican municipality to adopt and establish a mandatory regulatory reform, the highest standard of disclosure in the infrastructure sector.

With these two open data platforms, Guadalajara will be in an opportune position to utilise best practice in disclosure to help to prevent and reduce corruption in the processes of procurement and contracting of public infrastructure.

“In recent years, preventing corruption is a priority, but above all it is an obligation in the agenda of public institutions. Therefore, from all our positions: from the public and private sector, we are interested in promoting political strategies and actions that generate crucial changes to avoid this problem,” said Cynthia Cantero, Citizen Comptroller of Guadalajara.

Claudia Arteaga, Country Manager of CoST Jalisco, highlighted that “CoST’s role in this project was based on promoting the design of the reform of the regulations to incorporate the CoST standard. This was a teamwork with the civil society, academic and private sectors of the Multi Stakeholder Group (MSG). The MSG will now be monitoring the publication, but also motivating other municipalities to follow this model”.

Both data platforms aim to improve the efficiency of public management in the contracting and procurement processes, through a clear, simple, and easily information access to the public, increasing competition and value for money investment.

These tools also promote citizen participation through the social accountability, monitoring, and verification of the information and documents published on these platforms, so that people can easily know the entire cycle of contracting.

 

“I appreciate the effort of all the key actors involved, the publication in open data in the Guadalajara Procurement Platform and CoST Jalisco, is a paradigm shift towards transparency and social accountability“, added Cantero.

These data platforms were achieved through, and enhance, core aspects of the CoST approach, including Disclosure, Multi Stakeholder Working and Social Accountability.

In March 2021, CoST Jalisco’s Multi Stakeholder Group launched its Public Projects disclosure platform, in accordance with CoST International Data Standards (IDS). The IDS includes 40 data items that must be proactively disclosed.

Jalisco announced its CoST membership to CoST International on November 2019. The municipalities of Guadalajara, Tonalá, Zapopan and Jalisco will participate in Jalisco State’s CoST programme.

Since its stablished in Mexico, CoST Jalisco has focus on developing capacity in the area of assurance, the validity and reliability of disclosed data. The program has provided training for civil society, helping these groups play a more active role in project monitoring and raising levels of accountability within government and procuring entities.