Procurement accounts for almost one-third of government expenditures and for between 30% and 50% of the cost structures of productive firms. Furthermore, procurement is more than a purely administrative task: organisations are increasingly recognising its power as a tool for achieving strategic goals and improving productivity. For both public entities and private entities receiving public funds for the functions delegated to them by law, the way in which procurement is carried out has a major impact on how public services are delivered with taxpayers’ money. For private entities, procurement has major implications for profitability and the quality of the products and services they offer, as well as for competitiveness. It should therefore be used strategically to create the right conditions for firms to grow and innovate, and for societies to thrive. While in many OECD countries public entities have been leading the implementation of those policies through national strategies or public procurement regulatory frameworks, private entities are increasingly becoming aware of the role they could play in this regard. The Chamber of Commerce of Bogotá (Cámara de Comercio de Bogotá, CCB) is a private non-profit entity – the largest of its kind in Colombia –in the country’s capital region and most important economic area (29% of Colombian GDP), with 13,385 registered businesses. Recognising the strategic role of procurement in delivering its mission, the CCB invited the OECD to assess its procurement framework in line with the OECD Recommendation on Public Procurement and international best practices in the following areas: e-procurement, efficiency, integrity and risk management, capacity of procurement employees, implementation of policy objectives and access to procurement opportunities. This report presents findings and recommendations derived from this analysis, and reflects on the role chambers of commerce can play as enablers of better practices and promoters of growth and productivity. Unlike public procurement, which is regulated by a specific regulatory framework aligned with national priorities and aimed at maximising social welfare, procurement operations implemented by private entities are regulated by frameworks of their own design aimed primarily at maximising profitability or limiting expenditures. The OECD Recommendation on Public Procurement sets the standards for transforming public procurement into a strategic tool, advancing public policy objectives while also achieving efficiency, transparency and accountability in the administration of public money. The OECD Recommendation primarily targeted public entities; however, its comprehensiveness and aspirational features also make it attractive to private entities as a standard for developing and enhancing their own procurement frameworks. The effective implementation of public policies, including in public procurement, requires interaction and collaboration between the public and private sectors. The unique position of chambers of commerce places them at the forefront of this policy dialogue. Chambers of commerce bridge knowledge gaps between the public sector and private 4 │ FOREWORD

PROCUREMENT REVIEW OF THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE OF BOGOTÁ, COLOMBIA © OECD 2018

firms. They represent and defend the interests of the private sector in a specific market and geographical location, and regularly liaise with the public sector on a wide range of policies that could impact their adherents. They can also disseminate best practices within their adherents and influence their strategies including towards public procurement. The report analyses the contribution of the CCB to the national public governance sphere and provides policy recommendations to strengthen CCB’s role in the Colombian public procurement system, allowing it to contribute more broadly to the effective dissemination of public policies with its associates. If implemented, those policy recommendations will enable the CCB to improve the quality of services offered to its beneficiaries, help raise productivity on both sides, become a leading entity in the procurement field and fulfil its goal of “making entrepreneurs’ dreams come true”.