Strengthening of the Office of the Comptroller General (CGU) (BR0039)

to develop a set of organizational, people managing and infrastructure actions with the aim of enhancing the Office of the Comptroller General’s institutional capacity. The proper training of public officials, the construction and reform of agency’s headquarters and the endorsement of initiatives such as the Program for Strengthening of Prevention and Combat to Corruption in the Brazilian Public Management (PROPREVINE) in partnership with the Inter-American Development Bank shall increase the reach and effectiveness of the results of CGU’s actions.

Commitment 1.3 Strengthening of the Office of the Comptroller General (CGU)

Commitment Text: To develop a set of organizational, people managing and infrastructure actions with the aim of enhancing the Office of the Comptroller General’s institutional capacity. The proper training of public officials, the construction and reform of agency’s headquarters and the endorsement of initiatives such as the Program for Strengthening of Prevention and Combat to Corruption in the Brazilian Public Management (PROPREVINE) in partnership with the Inter-American Development Bank shall increase the reach and effectiveness of the results of CGU’s actions.

Responsible institution: Office of the Comptroller General (CGU)

Supporting institution: None

Start date: Not specified                          End date: 14 December 2014...............................................

Commitment aim

This commitment sought to make the Office of the Comptroller (CGU) more proactive (e.g., by instituting permanent quality control of public services) and to strengthen its activities (e.g., by expanding the investigation of mixed-ownership companies, such as Petrobras). Key milestones included the professional development of CGU employees, improved infrastructure, and the endorsement of the PROPREVINE initiative mentioned in the commitment text above.

Status

Midterm: Substantial

The commitment was completed, with the exception of the infrastructure activities. The Planning and Institutional Development Directive (DIPLD) trained civil servants working in the CGU on such issues as the efficient management of public resources.^{[Note 2: The training was carried out through two intermediaries: the School of Financial Policy (ESAF) and the Federal University of Lavras (UFLA).]} In addition, the government joined the PROPREVINE initiative. This was a program with the Inter-American Development Bank that focused on improving the work processes of the CGU. As part of PROPREVINE, the government acquired project management and technology service management tools, as well as data storage and processing equipment. At the time of the midterm evaluation, four regional offices of the CGU (Pernambuco, Maranhão, Amazônia, and Rio Grande do Norte) were in the design phase, one (Acre) was under construction, and one (Pará) had not yet begun.

End of term: Substantial

Since the midterm review, there was progress on the remaining milestone of the commitment — the improved infrastructure of the CGU regional offices. According to the government, construction concluded in the state of Paraná and Acre, and is ongoing in the states of Rio Grande do Norte, Piauí, Pernambuco, Pará, Santa Catarina, and Bahia. Given that the commitment did not specify how much “construction and reform” was to be accomplished by the end of the action plan, it is not possible to determine that the commitment was fully completed.

Did it open government?

Access to information: Did not change

Civic Participation: Did not change

Public accountability: Did not change

The commitment did not open government because the milestones did not include open government values. They refer only to intra-government actions.

Carried forward?

The commitment was not included in Brazil’s third action plan. It should be noted that it was proposed by civil society and designed with the support of the CGU. To carry it forward, the IRM researcher suggests better explaining how the government plans to involve the public and engage with the other OGP values of access to information and public accountability.