Contracts, Data and Investigations: Edition 2020-12-11
This week’s content: EU funds fraud in Hungary, paying back in South Africa, and share your favorite data-driven investigation
This newsletter gathers stories covering the use and abuse of government contracts during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond. We’d really be happy about a like, and let us know about your stories and content. We’d love to hear about them.
Nominate your favorite data-driven investigation! Which story has best laid bare the swamp of mask and ventilator purchases, most skillfully unveiled the racketeers and covidpreneurs of the pandemic, and most patiently untangled webs of undue influence? This newsletter will go on a brief holiday break, but for the final edition of the year next week I’d love to hear from you about your favorite stories!
Drop me an email or write in the comments below.
At this week’s International Anti-Corruption Day, calls for more transparency in public procurement were loud and clear. Everyone who has been following this newsletter will not have been surprised. We put together five issues we’ll focus on to scale open contracting reforms next year.
How do you siphon off EU funds in Hungary? BIRN’s Dariusz Kalan investigates the schemes involving public contracts for overpriced and shiny, but often unnecessary municipal infrastructure projects. In fact, in these projects, everyone is related and everyone benefits: the buyer, the intermediary, the winner, and the loser.
Projects designed blind to the needs of the beneficiaries are a common problem in Nigeria. In a story for Sun News, Sola Ojo investigates how a new $30,000 school building in Kaduna fell apart shortly after completion.
In Costa Rica, a new platform developed by the Interamerican Development Bank together with the Costa Rican government brings together all information on contracts and resources spent on the COVID-19 response.
Paying back: Global consulting firm McKinsey will pay back more than $40 million in earnings from contracts with state-owned firms linked to investigations into state capture under the Zondo commission in South Africa, reports Financial Times’ Joseph Cotterill. Susan Comrie for amaBhungane provides the full background into the red flags around the deals. It appears the story isn’t over yet, as Transnet, South Africa’s rail, port and pipeline company thinks it’s not enough.
South Africa’s Auditor-General has published her first official audit, reinforcing initial findings in September of widespread irregularities, Agence France Presse reports.
If you’re looking for guidance on investigating public procurement in South Africa, check out Vulekamali’s guide to procurement, the Keepthereceipts.org.za platform, financial and governance data resources on the Open Data South Africa toolkit, and the information by the Office of the Chief Procurement Officer of the Treasury.
For our recommendations, resources and tools, check our COVID-19 resource page. Our friends at the GIJN have pulled together some tips and tricks for investigating public procurement. This newsletter has been put together by the Open Contracting Partnership. Comments? Suggestions? Got a story you’ve written to share? Write to Georg at media@open-contracting.org. Thanks for reading.
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Please add your favorite stories in the comments or send me a message at gneumann@open-contracting.org. Looking forward to featuring the best stories next week.