Transparency and Monitoring of Public Procurement Contract Performance

Abstract

This study analyzes the monitoring of public pro­curement contracts’ performance in six countries under EU public procurement rules: Finland, Portu­gal, Slovenia, Italy, Hungary, and Serbia. Through an in-depth comparative analysis, we explore the nexus between perceived corruption in these countries and the contract performance monitoring systems es­tablished or in the making.

The analysis centers on four key aspects: the or­ganizational framework, the redress system, the IT infrastructure, and the level of data publicity in each country’s procurement landscape. Expert evalua­tions conducted by national specialists unveil which countries pay less attention to public contract per­formance monitoring and transparency.

Our findings indicate that countries facing higher corruption rates tend to place greater emphasis on transparency and contract performance monitoring. Moreover, countries greatly differ in their organiza­tional setup, objectives, and monitoring tools, includ­ing IT adoption.

The insights derived from this study can influence policy and reform efforts focused on the contract phase of public procurement, leading to a more accountable and efficient procurement landscape across Europe.