O Social Observatory took the CASE from Foz do Iguaçu on the control of public tenders to a national event, during Citizenship Week, via the OSB System channel. The exhibition highlighted the work of volunteers and technicians in favor of integrity.
The best practice was detailed by technician Amabily Fruttos, a lawyer who works on public tenders and contracts for the Observatory. She emphasized the importance of citizens monitoring tenders and discussed a specific case.
For the Iguaçu social control entity, adequate purchases and hiring are requirements for the good use of community money and for the delivery of quality services to the population.
“Bidding control is an essential issue, of utmost importance for the city and which must involve the citizen,” he said. “Residents must keep an eye on it and be attentive, since, in the end, the purchase or contracting will have a direct impact on the citizen,” reflected Amabily.
Social control and bidding
The Social Observatory monitors both internal and external phases of bidding processes. It involves analyzing both the content of notices and their legality and whether there are any non-conformities, in addition to their selection and contracting stages.
This work is ongoing and uses the national methodology of the OSB System. In the city, it relies on technicians, volunteers and the Public Accounts Working Group. During monitoring, when necessary, referrals are made to the appropriate bodies, such as the prosecutor's office and the Court of Auditors – beforehand, the demands are sent to the public authorities so that they can express their views.
Purchase of almost half a million
The Observatory in Foz do Iguaçu described the monitoring of a direct contract made by the city government, worth R$443 thousand, in 2024. It involved the services of a consultancy company to provide technical support to the city's systems development team. A resident reported possible non-conformities.
The organization gathered information and analyzed the technical basis of the complaint, sending a letter to the city hall requesting information. As the response was incomplete and unsubstantiated, the Social Observatory filed a complaint with the Court of Auditors of the State of Paraná (TCE-PR).
The criteria were subjective in nature, which could compromise impartiality. Although the contractor had already provided similar services, the municipality did not present the invoices when requested, which would allow for price comparison.
“In addition, the administration only carried out two price quotations, contrary to the minimum requirement of three quotes in market research,” added Amabily Fruttos. The lack of a legal opinion from the Municipal Attorney General's Office was also noted.
As a result, in January of this year, the TCE-PR published a ruling providing guidance to the City of Foz do Iguaçu, establishing procedures that must be followed in order to guarantee all legal precepts in bidding processes.
Citizenship and control
The OSB System Citizenship Week, from May 12 to 16, promotes and brings social observatories closer to the community. There are activities aimed at disseminating citizens' commitment to improving the city. It is an agenda that gives visibility to actions that positively impact the lives of citizens in cities.
(With information from the Social Observatory in Foz do Iguaçu)
