In 2022, the National Business Association of Colombia (ANDI) and the Organisation for Economic Co‑operation and Development (OECD) agreed that the OECD would conduct an analysis and evaluation of information and communication technology (ICT) procurement practices and processes in three Latin American countries: Chile, Colombia and Mexico. The OECD would focus on analysing practices related to competitive neutrality and market engagement in the procurement of computers and laptops, in light of the principles established in the 2015 OECD Recommendation of the Council on Public Procurement. The objective was to identify best practices and areas of opportunity and to develop evidence-based recommendations. The recommendations in this report are aimed at improving competition, efficiency, effectiveness, neutrality and dialogue with markets in the procurement of computers in Latin America.

In OECD countries, public procurement has become a tool for delivering quality public services. The volume of resources spent in public procurement leads to risks related to inefficiencies, for example, stemming from insufficient competition, but also to opportunities to pursue complementary policy objectives such as facilitating the digital transformation of the public sector. Despite the evident synergies between public procurement and digital government policies, Latin American countries are not alone in facing the challenge of developing procurement policies for information and communication technology (ICT).

This chapter starts by discussing the synergies between information and communication technology (ICT) procurement and digital government policies and how they can be leveraged for the digital transformation of the public sector. It then analyses the digital government policies of Chile, Colombia and Mexico, their regulatory frameworks and institutional setup, as well as good practices relative to pre-screening the procurement of ICT, including computers, and other digital investments.

This chapter discusses how the three countries analysed in this report structure their procurement procedures and their impacts on vendor neutrality and competition. For each case, good practices and potential areas for improvement are identified. The steps examined include needs assessment and planning, market research, defining tender strategies, drafting tender documents and technical specifications, awarding the contract, leveraging framework agreements and facilitating user feedback.

This chapter discusses market engagement policies and practices in Chile, Colombia and Mexico, particularly in the context of the procurement of computers. It analyses the benefits of such strategies, the good practices and the opportunities to further engage while mitigating risks, such as those related to integrity and conflicts of interest.

The findings of the practices in Chile, Colombia and Mexico illustrate that there are common challenges, as well as lessons learnt that could be leveraged to advance efficiency and promote competition, not only in these three countries but in the wider Latin American context. This section will take stock of such challenges and good practices, as well as provide recommendations to build a level playing field for the procurement of computers.