icegov2012 proceedings

Not all the municipalities have the same technological needs.
Recognizing this fact, this study affirms that it is key, as much in
the moment of defining public politics as in the definition of the
directions, to better the level of automation in each municipality
in particular.
One of the principal motivators of the incorporation of technology
has been to better the internal municipal management. The study
recognizes that most of the proposals for technological improving
have been oriented towards providing satisfactory service to the
citizens, whom are the principal beneficiaries of municipal work.
The next section the study will analyze a few bibliographic
references that are related to the impacts that a system of
electronic procurement will produce in both public and private
institutions. This information will help us to better understand the
results in the application of the survey, improve its analysis,
identify bias, make comparisons etc.
2.1 Critical Success Factors
In this section, we examine the literature to help identify the
critical elements or factors that help to explain the process of
adoption of public procurement reforms in a way that has a
positive impact in fulfilling the stated objectives. These objectives
can be extremely varied, for example: from widespread use to
improved efficiency in its use, better access to information,
increasing opportunities for the SMEs, improving transparency
and decreasing corruption.
One interesting impact for all of the governments is that of the
SMEs, that is, to know what the factors are that help to the
strengthen them. The goal is to make them more competitive by
increasing the volume of the business to which they have access,
though eventual positive externalities for example, access to
training of their personnel, a greater use of the ICTs, etc.
A few critical factors that are seen in the literature are delineated
in the following:
To make flexible the size of the orders dividing them along the
time, so that they can adequate themselves to the generally limited
production capacity of SMEs. The study of Arozamena and F.
Weinschelbaum deepens this point [3]. Always and when the
bigger division does not make prejudice the levels of transparency
nor the eventual economies of scale that can occur. Therefore, the
normative should proceed with prudence in these aspects.
To facilitate the association between companies to add offering
and to confront with better success the bidding of high volume.
To establish financial measures that are less burdensome to
facilitate participation, for example, the cost of the documentation
for bids (access should be free in all senses), guarantees that are
too high, to avoid delay in payments to seem as though it is an
extended practice in the public sector.
It is interesting to highlight the participation of SMEs in the
Public Market of ChileCompra [23], given that its participation in
business that reaches 38% of what is positively compare with 18%
on the national level. The mechanisms that support the SMEs
(included as well the named micro-businesses) that ChileCompra
possesses are the following:
Entrepreneurship Centers: They correspond to an infrastructure so
that the users have free access to computers connected to the
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Internet, to meeting rooms with clients or providers, to technical
consultancy and training in order to acquire knowledge in relevant
materials to the access of this market. The Management of
ChileCompra counts 30 Entrepreneurship Centers in the country
as a whole.
Confirming or Advanced of the Payments to the Vendors: Permits
the providers of the State to be paid in cash their invoices;
advancing its payments through agreements with distinct financial
institutions (the project recently finds itself in its first phase of
implementation, because of which there are, as yet, no significant
results).
Ordering or credit against the order of purchase: ChileCompra,
through its agreements with financial institutions, offers financing
to cover resource necessities for the orders of purchases awarded
through the system of the Public Market Portal to micro and small
businesses providers of the State.
Training: ChileCompra possesses a permanent and free offer of
training and technical assistance services in these sectors.
In agreement with the study on the implementation of eprocurement
in Sweden [6], one critical element that is
emphasized is not to lose focus on the people that are involved in
the implementation of e-procurement and how they are affected.
In this sense, the study concludes the importance of assigning
resources for the education of people and not solely focusing on
the possible savings that could result from the process of
implementation.
Another critical factor that the Swedish study highlights is that the
key for an increase in the adoption of the activities of eprocurement
through the public institutions are the regulations
emanated by the central organization responsible for the
acquisitions (Swedish National Financial Management Authority)
that obligates institutions to use the system of acquisitions (for
example the use of electronic invoices starting July 1, 2008).
In general, this study shows that the users perceive benefits, such
as savings in time, savings in cost, increase in the fulfillment of
contracts with providers and a better control of spending due to
the use of the system. Other notable benefits have to do with
better access to information and in arranging a process of
procurement more simplified and standardized. Additionally, the
study identified benefits in coordination with deliveries. In
summary, the use of electronic means in procurement is perceived
as an increase in the efficiency process.
2.2 Pending Challenges
In the study carried out in Sweden for the public sector it shown
that in general, in spite of the greater intensity in the use of the
system and the greater cost realized, the system is still not used to
its full potential.
In the same study it is confirmed that new challenges are arising
in relation with the introduction to e-procurement, as to the
incorporation of new criteria for selection to interact with the
proposals and procurement orders received.
In agreement with Horwath’s study [11], where a few
municipalities are present 3 , it is shown that due to the Information
3 Municipalities of Santiago, Puerto Montt, Valparaíso y
Talcahuano.