Public procurement and transparency: challenges in national practice

Abstract

Public procurement constitutes one of the main mechanisms through which the State acquires goods, services, and works to fulfill its functions, thus becoming a relevant instrument for economic and social development. In this context, transparency emerges as a fundamental principle of public management, as it guarantees access to information, strengthens accountability, and contributes to the prevention of corruption in the use of public resources. The objective of this study is to analyze the relationship between public procurement and transparency, identifying the main challenges in their application within the Ecuadorian context. The research was conducted under a qualitative, documentary, and analytical approach, through the review of the current regulatory framework, the analysis of specialized scientific literature, and the identification of relevant public procurement cases. The results reveal the existence of structural problems, including corruption and overpricing in procurement processes, insufficient institutional control mechanisms, the prevalence of private interests over the collective interest, limited citizen participation, and difficulties in accessing clear and timely information, which reflects a significant gap between the regulatory framework and its practical implementation. In conclusion, although Ecuador has a legal framework aimed at ensuring transparency in public procurement, its implementation presents limitations that affect the effectiveness of these principles; therefore, it is necessary to strengthen control mechanisms, improve the accessibility and clarity of public information, and promote an ethical culture and citizen participation, in order to consolidate a more transparent, efficient, and public-interest-oriented management of public resources.