Implementing the Open Contracting Data Standard (NG0033)

Brief Description of Commitment: This commitment addresses issues around opacity, corruption, resource wastage and quality of services delivered to Nigerians through wider stakeholder participation in the procurement spectrum. It will prioritize the integration of the NOPOCO and the EGP portal to ensure timely data publication and availability, and drive use of published data by different categories of stakeholders for optimal results. This commitment will ensure inclusion of relevant stakeholders such as Women and Youth groups, Private sector stakeholders and State-Based Organizations to access, use and report on the impacts of published data.

General Problem / Challenge Addressed by the Commitment: Despite the deployment of NOCOPO, stakeholders still face the challenge of accessing procurement data. This challenge is due to low levels of compliance to the directive on disclosure of procurement data and unavailability of data across stages in the procurement cycle. With Government commitment to deploy the Electronic Governance Platform (EPG), more could be done to fill in the existing data gaps and to effectively capture the entire contracting process in a single portal.

Specific OGP Issue(s) in Focus: Effective Implementation of open contracting to improve public service integrity and processes, inclusion of actors relevant in the discourse and use of procurement data for improved governance and service delivery.

Rationale for the Commitment: Open Contracting can offer the following values through the use of innovative technology to increase access to procurement information: 1. Transparency: The enhanced disclosure of procurement data and information across the entire procurement cycle and up to implementation stage will make the procurement process more transparent and reveal how public resources are expended. 2. Accountability: The enhanced disclosure of procurement data and information will ensure that citizens understand the basis of decisions made along the procurement cycle. This will make the decision makers take actions that reflect better use of public resources, knowing that their actions can be challenged through existing resource mechanisms. 3. Service Delivery: The use of open contracting helps the government to achieve value for money by providing a watchdog system that allows wider stakeholders to critique and monitor implementation of contracts. This ultimately, checkmates unethical conduct and sharp corrupt practices in the processes of contract delivery. 4. Inclusion: Technology provides wider stakeholder participation in open contracting, thus limits human interface. This will allow stakeholders from all walks of life to interact, access, assess and give informed feedback on how government programs impact their lives. 5. Citizen engagement: Availability of procurement data across the entire procurement cycle and up to implementation will ensure that all stakeholders are able to monitor the procurement activities and provide feedback. This will ensure that public contracts are delivered, with value for money achieved, thereby leading to increased service delivery.

Main Objective: To improve accountability and transparency of public procurement processes; promote wider stakeholder participation and better service delivery through the implementation of OCDS

Anticipated Impact: Efficient procurement system evident in better contracting outcomes and improved position in global rankings on public procurement.

Expected Outcomes | Milestones (Performance Indicators)

1. Achievement of better value for money in public contract delivery and reduction of corruption and fraud in public procurement processes. | 1. Levels of efficiency, effectiveness, economy, and equity in public procurement processes

Increased access to procurement data and information in both human and machine-readable formats by stakeholders including women, private sector and non-State based organizations | Level of access to EGP and other procurement data and information

2. Upgraded User feedback and observer page to be added to the EGP and the Open data portal (NOCOPO) for better user analysis and experience | Level of satisfaction of EGP and other procurement data navigation and analytics features

3. Increase in the use of EGP and Open contracting data for contract monitoring and business decision-making by the public. | 1. Level of use of open contracting data for contract monitoring 2. Level of use of open contracting data for business decision making

4. Investigation of fraudulent activities by anti-graft agencies through reporting from the use of Open contracting data | Level of use of Open Contracting data by Anti-graft agencies in the investigation of fraudulent activities

5. Improvement in citizen participation in the entire procurement cycle resulting from wider sensitization outreaches. | 1. Number of citizens involved in procurement processes 2. Quality of the participation of the citizens in the procurement processes

6. Availability and accessibility of up-to-date data on the open treasury portal | Increased availability of up-to-date data on open treasury portal

Planned Activities (Start Date - End Date | Expected Output(s) | Output Indicator(s))

1. Continuous capacity building for all MDAs, CSOs and private sector on the integration of Open data portal (NOPOCO) and the e-government procurement (EGP) platform. (January 2023 - December 2024 | 1. To train at least 400 MDAs every year 2. To train CSOs and Private Sector 3. Deliberate inclusion of excluded communities in the trainings | 1. Number of MDAs trained on the use of NOCOPO 2. Number of CSOs and private sector organizations trained on NOCOPO 3. Number of excluded communities' members included in the trainings)

2. Increase sensitization of citizens on how to engage at every stage of the procurement cycle in collaboration with the NOA, BPP (January 2023 - December 2024 | 1. 6 town halls (annually) 2. 4 radio jingles 3. 3 tweet chats 4. Reports from each engagement by women organizations 5. Audios 6. Links to news, reports, and articles. | 1. Number of Town Hall s on open contracting across the 6 geopolitical zones held 2. Number of radio jingles on open contracting produced 3. Number of tweet chats held on open contracting in 2 years 4. Number of women organizations monitoring and reporting contract implementation)

3. Increase engagement with available data sets through procurement monitoring by groups (CSOs , spe c i a li z ed organizations, private sector groups, etc.) (January 2023 - December 2024 | 5 reports from 5 contracts monitored | Number of contracts monitored using EGP and other open contracting data embarked upon)

4. User feedback and observer page to be added to the EGP and the Open data portal (NOCOPO) for better user analysis and experience (January 2023 - December 2024 | Updated EGP and NOCOPO portal | Number of upgrades on EGP and NOCOPO based on feedback from users carried out)

5. Conduct an annual ranking exercise for the EGP and Open Data portal in line with SGF's circular, Public Procurement Act 2007 and BPP's directive mandating data publication (January 2023 - December 2024 | 1. One (1) public event for the unveiling of ranking. 2. Ranking report | 1. Annual ranking on NOCOPO and EGP by stakeholders 2. Percentage of MDAs complying with SGF circular and BPP's directive 3. Report of the EGP and Open Data portal ranking exercise produced)

6. Increase engagement with available data sets through Open Treasury Portal monitoring by groups (CSOs, specialized organizations, private sector groups, etc.) (January 2023 - December 2024 | 8 reports from Open Treasury Portal monitoring | Number of OTP monitoring using available data sets held)

7. Advocacy for establishment of public procurement council (January 2023 - December 2024 | Number of advocacy events held on the establishment of public procurement council)

Source(s) of Funding: Federal Government Budget and Donor Agencies