If transparency is to be achieved, there must be one single platform so that procurement processes can be fully digital and access to information fully transparent.
EDITORIAL
An article on Nacion.com reports that "... The head of Digital Government, Alicia Avendaño affirmed that there are concerns about the apparent lack of interest of current government institutions over migrating public procurements to the Mer-Link system, promoted by the previous government. "
Transparency in purchases made by the State is the main barrier to combating corruption of public officials and the only way to ensure fair competition between suppliers.
In all Central American countries resistance to single platforms for government procurement is headed by public officials who thrive on the old systems of administration which kept processes and decisions regarding expenditure in the dark.
Despite a direct order from the president, Costa Rican ministerial bureaucracy is still blocking a system which looks to eliminate corruption in public procurements.
The Ministry of Finance has not yet signed the decree establishing the mandatory use of Mer-Link in procurement processes, which could delay its implementation in January 2014.
Nacion.com reports: "Although the first version of the decree was received by the Ministry of Finance on 6 June, it has yet to be signed, a fact which will delay implementation of the system, according to the director of the Digital Government, Alicia Avendaño".
The struggle between the two main systems used for Costa Rican government purchases could end with Mer-Link being the winner.
From a press release issued by the President of Costa Rica:
In order to facilitate the establishment of a National System of Public Procurement, the president of the Republic, Laura Chinchilla Miranda, signed this morning a guideline for all the institutions which make up the Civil Service to unify their methods of procuring goods and services.
Costa Rica's new state procurement website is scheduled for February 2010.
Grupo ICE, together with the Technical Secretary for Digital Government and the State Procurement System of Korea will implement the system, so-called Mer-Link.
Krissia Morris writes at Prensa Libre's website: "The first module includes providers registration and product catalog.