Open Contracting: The School Meals Programme in Bogotá, Colombia

This case study developed as part of IIEP‑UNESCO Research Project ‘Open Government: Learning From Experience’ analyses how the open contracting model used to implement the School Meals Programme (SMP) in the Capital District of Bogotá, Colombia, enabled all interested parties and oversight bodies to have direct, real‑time access to all the necessary information to understand and monitor the whole process closely.

 

It shows how the SMP Open Contracting Initiative helped strengthen the procurement process, leading to greater monitoring of food sourcing and logistics operations to final delivery of meals to children. It also describes how sanctions were imposed in response to the numerous failings detected in the production and distribution of school meals.

 

It concludes on the importance of greater involvement of programme beneficiaries – students, teachers, and parents. And it recommends making greater efforts to ensure that citizens who take the time to leave comments and make suggestions for improvement get to hear what impact their feedback has had and what changes it has led to.

 

ISBN: 978-958-53383-1-9

 

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