A Proposal for a Standard With Innovation Management System

Isabel Ferreira and Luís Alfredo Amaral
Public procurement is a essential part of the ability of any organization to operate effectively, allowing
to support the integration of the supply chains and the collaboration of all the stakeholders, with
impact in terms o organizational development.
It is consensual the alignment of the purchase strategy with the organizational strategy guided
towards the public value, given the impact of the organization’s performance (Panayiotou et al, 2004),
being several the references found in literature about the benefits related to the adoption of
technologies in the public procurement practices. Ronchi et al (2010), referindo Wen and Wei (2007),
talk about: (i) strategic benefits (related to comparative efficiency); (ii) transactional benefits
(concerned about the efficiency and effectiveness of transactional activities); and (iii) informational
benefits (as well as decision’s and opportune communication’s supporting ones). According to these
authors these benefits are translated into financial gains (quantitatively measured) and organizational
gains (measured qualitatively in terms of control, transparency, aggregation of needs,
decentralization, supplier base’s rationalization).Talero (2001), adds: (i) the increase of transparency
in the public organisms relationships with the market (emphasis on G2B component); (ii) a lever of
the eGovernment (to enhance the G2C; G2G; G2E components); and (iii) creation of interoperability
mechanisms between the multiple systems. Kassim and Hassin (2010), refer, in turn, (i) the creation
of value, (ii) the increase of the transparency, (iii) the improvement of the flow of information, (iv) the
support to the decision-making, (v) the creation of open markets, in such a way that all the suppliers
can compete, grasping the added governments’ power to obtain goods and services’ dynamic prices,
improving the efficiency of the purchase cycle, like (vi) the benefits in the adoption of electronic public
procurement systems. Bof and Previtali (2010), add (i) the propel of the innovation and collaboration,
as well as, (ii) cultural changes, where the digital could become the Public Administration core
business.
At the level of the European area, where there is a clear policy of ICT adoption in order to improve the
development of the public bodies and entities guided towards the public value, the progressive
introduction of the public eProcurement is included in the online programme of Public Administration,
aiming to transform its functioning and development. The publication of European Union directives on
this subject provided an legislative framework uniform way through European Union ensuring, via
electronic public procurement, the realization of the basic freedoms of the European Union area: (i)
single market; (ii) free movement of persons, goods, services, and capital; (iii) transparency and
competition; and (iv) prohibition of discrimination based on nationality (European Comission, 2010).
5. Discussion
Portugal is referenced in the Green Paper on Electronic Public Procurement as a good example in
terms of public eProcurement (European Commission, 2010), as a result of the measures introduced
by virtue of the entry into force of the Code of Public Contracts, in 2008. However, when analysing the
Portuguese reality, one considers that the recognition of that merit is only in the legal field and in the
obligation of the adoption of electronic platforms. With regard to the technological development,
expressed in terms of models and organizational practices and technological applications the
perception is different. The technological market does not offer end-to-end solutions, falling the
desired de-materialisation far short of expectations. In some cases, there is, including, a double
proceeding, in different stages of the process –some phases go through the procedure in paper
format, others in electronic format, or both. In other words, in the Portuguese case, technological
solutions in public organizations without a preliminary reflection in terms of changes in the structure
and working methods and, in a broader perspective, with concerns in terms of impact in public value.
One considers, therefore, the lack of an integrated vision of the public procurement that aligns models
of formulation of public policies (dynamics of public value related to the formulation of public policies)
with the models of implementation of those same policies by the different public entities and the
technological development to support all that management. There is, thus, a fragmentation between
models of policy, management and technology.
The lack of a conceptual vision of the transversal management of public contracts impedes, both
politics and responsible technicians, the monitoring and management of those sam processes, as well
as the evaluation of their impact on the organization and the society. That is to say, they hamper the
formulation of good purchase practices guided towards the public value. Figure 4 represents that
integrated and transversal vision that one defends.
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