The government of Costa Rica has still not been able to establish a single system for state purchases, while the battle continues between the individual interests of the supporters of each of the two systems currently in operation.
EDITORIAL
Roberto Sasso, in his opinion column in Nacion.com notes: "... the opportunity cost caused by this senseless struggle amounts to several percentage points of GDP."
Mer-Link and CompraRed are fighting each other, "as if they were two private companies seeking to address the issue of the Costa Rican state."
An article on Crhoy reports that "Deputies are asking the government to accelerate the transfer of purchases to the Mer-Link system ... Members of the Committee on Revenue and Public Expenditure yesterday received representatives from Digital Government and the Ministry of Finance, who are fighting over which is the best system to use for public procurement."
After a long process the decree establishing the mandatory use of Mer-Link in procurement processes has been signed.
Nacion.com reports that "Treasury officials on Tuesday signed a decree establishing a unified procurement system, which will begin operations in January."
Accordingly, the Comprared system will ceased to be used definitively on January 1, 2014.