e-Procurement sites have be among the most successful Transact applications. For example, in 2002, Romania developed E-licitatie, The Electronic System for Public Acquisitions. The project included “re-engineering” the process for public procurement. As of March 2004, the system was used by more than 1,000 public institutions, and more than 10,000 suppliers had requested registration in the system. The system had conducted more than 230,000 public bids, and the resulting contracts had saved the government an estimated 70 millions Euro.

Under Chile’s e-Procurement system, companies that wish to do business with the public sector only need to register one time in areas in which they do business. Whenever a public agency needs to purchase goods or services, it will fill out a request in the electronic system, specifying the kind of operation and including all the documentation and information associated with the request. Automatically the system sends an email to all the private companies registered in that area, minimizing response time, and providing an equal opportunity for all firms. At the end of the bidding process, the results are provided online, including details on the participants, the proposals, the economic and technical scores, and the winning contractor. Compra has made business opportunities with the Chilean government more transparent, reduced firms’ transaction costs, enhanced cooperation between firms and public agencies, and reduced opportunities for corruption.

Sources on e-Procurement:

• Ministry of Communication and Information Technology, “Electronic System for Public Acquisitions e-Procurement.”
• Jerker Torngren, “e-Government in Romania,” Presentation for the Conference on e-Government Strategy in Skopje, Macedonia (March 15-16, 2004).
• Manchester University Institute for Development Policy and Management, e-Government for Development, eTransparency Case Study No.9, “E-licitatie: Transparency of Romanian Public Procurement Through ICTs” (2003).
• European Commission e-Government News, “Cashing in – Romanian eProcurement system proves its worth” (March 27, 2003).
• Claudio Orrego, Carlos Osorio, and Rodrigo Mardones, "Technological innovation in public sector reform: Chile's public procurement e-system."
• PREM notes, The World Bank, January 2001, “Chile's Government Procurement E-System.”
• OAS, “Best Practices: Profiles of Electronic Government Procurement Systems.”

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