# Public procurement URL: https://www.transparency.org/en/our-priorities/public-procurement Type: Priority topic Published: 2020-03-19 Updated: 2022-07-05 --- ![](https://images.transparencycdn.org/images/public-procurement.jpg?auto=compress&fit=crop&fm=webp&w=1200) Photo: Ricardo Gomez Angel / unsplash.com ## The problem Trillions of dollars are spent each year buying goods and services for public projects. From schools and hospitals, to power plants and dams, this means big budgets and complex plans. It also means ideal opportunities for corruption. Contracts to suppliers can be awarded without fair competition. This allows companies with political connections to triumph over their rivals. Or companies within the same industry can rig their bids, so each gets a piece of the pie. This increases the cost of services to the public. We’ve found that corruption can add as much as 50 per cent to a project’s costs. But corruption in public procurement isn’t just about money. It also reduces the quality of work or services. And it can cost lives. People in many countries have paid a terrible personal price for collapsed buildings and counterfeit medicines. The end result? Our trust in our leaders is eroded. ## The solution All of us can help ensure taxpayers’ money is well spent. Governments must guarantee to provide good quality services, bought at a fair price. This means they need strong procurement systems. It’s up to us to make sure these are put in place. What do these systems look like? Above all, they’re transparent. This means we can see what’s going on. Then we can hold governments, bidders and contractors accountable for their actions. Good procurement systems are also shaped by clear regulations that meet international standards. And they’re overseen by strong institutions that enforce those rules. They also provide access to information and effective complaints mechanisms. These let us report suspected corruption confidentially and without threat. Specific measures can help us ensure honest procurement processes. We should push for commitments to honesty by bidders for a contract and the procuring government agency. This means promises from everyone involved not to take part in bribery, collusion or other corrupt practices. We can also demand an independent external monitor to ensure an agreement is not violated. To promote honesty in procurement, we’ve combined these measures into an agreement called an Integrity Pact. Since 2001, these have helped protect over 300 bidding processes from corruption. ## Find out more about our work ### News [+ More](https://www.transparency.org/en/search/filter?priority=public-procurement&type=newsPost) ## [CPI 2025: Findings and insights](https://www.transparency.org/en/news/cpi-2025-findings-insights-corruption) News • 10 February 2026 As corruption worsens globally, a decline in bold, accountable leadership is undermining reform. ## [CPI 2024: Highlights and insights](https://www.transparency.org/en/news/cpi-2024-highlights-insights-corruption-climate-crisis) News • 11 February 2025 While some countries are making progress, corruption still affects billions of people worldwide and leaders are doing too little to stop it. ## [Integrity Pacts: A blueprint for safeguarding public investments in sustainable development](https://www.transparency.org/en/news/integrity-pacts-blueprint-for-safeguarding-public-investments-sustainable-development) News • 17 December 2024 Discover how Integrity Pacts foster transparency, accountability, and good governance in public procurement, driving sustainable development worldwide. ## [EU residents see corruption in public contracting: What can governments do?](https://www.transparency.org/en/news/gcb-eu-2021-public-contracting-bribery-connections-corruption-trust-integrity-pacts) News • 08 July 2021 People in the EU doubt that government contracts are allocated in a competitive manner. Integrity Pacts can help reduce corruption risks while boosting participation and trust. ### Publications [+ More](https://www.transparency.org/en/search/filter?priority=public-procurement&type=publication) ## [Annual Report 2025](https://www.transparency.org/en/publications/annual-report-2025) Publication • 17 July 2026 In 2025, Transparency International pursued its mission to stop corruption and promote transparency, accountability and integrity at all levels and across all sectors of society. ## [Corruption Perceptions Index 2025](https://www.transparency.org/en/publications/corruption-perceptions-index-2025) Publication • 10 February 2026 The Corruption Perceptions Index scores 182 countries and territories by their perceived levels of public sector corruption, according to experts and business people. ## [Clean contracting for sustainable development](https://www.transparency.org/en/publications/sustainable-development-public-procurement-and-corruption) Publication • 24 July 2025 Corruption in public procurement harms services and slows progress. This paper calls for clean contracting to boost integrity and effective spending. ## [The Integrity Pact – Harnessing collective action for good governance and business integrity in public procurement](https://www.transparency.org/en/publications/integrity-pact-collective-action-good-governance-business-integrity-public-procurement) Publication • 16 December 2024 The publication provides a blueprint for the implementation of the Integrity Pact to safeguard high-value public procurements and investments. ### Projects [+ More](https://www.transparency.org/en/search/filter?priority=public-procurement&type=project) ## [Accountability in Asia Pacific](https://www.transparency.org/en/projects/accountability-in-asia-pacific) Project ## [Integrity Pacts – Civil Control Mechanism for Safeguarding EU Funds](https://www.transparency.org/en/projects/integritypacts) Project Preventing corruption in government contracting through independent monitors. Explore our 17 ongoing Integrity Pacts across 11 EU member countries. ## [Integrity pact – A global standard for safeguarding strategic public investments](https://www.transparency.org/en/projects/integrity-pact-global-standard) Project We're working on updating the integrity pact to better reflect the evolution of public contracting practices in the 21st century and calling for its consistent application on… ## [Countering corruption amid COVID-19](https://www.transparency.org/en/projects/countering-corruption-amid-covid-19) Project We’re working to identify COVID-19 specific corruption risks and vulnerabilities and address concrete instances of suspected corruption. ### Blog posts [+ More](https://www.transparency.org/en/search/filter?priority=public-procurement&type=blogPost) [## Climate Accountability: Beyond Transparency & Public Participation Anoukh de Soysa 09 October 2025](https://www.transparency.org/en/blog/going-beyond-transparency-and-public-participation-in-climate-initiatives "Climate Accountability: Beyond Transparency & Public Participation") [## Strengthening Public Oversight in Climate Initiatives Anoukh de Soysa 24 July 2025](https://www.transparency.org/en/blog/strengthening-public-oversight-in-climate-initiatives "Strengthening Public Oversight in Climate Initiatives") [## Making multilateralism great again: What we learned in Sevilla Maíra Martini 09 July 2025](https://www.transparency.org/en/blog/making-multilateralism-great-again "Making multilateralism great again: What we learned in Sevilla") [## Funding a fairer future: The role of transparency in financing for development Transparency Int'l 14 January 2025](https://www.transparency.org/en/blog/funding-fairer-future-role-of-transparency-financing-for-development "Funding a fairer future: The role of transparency in financing for development") ### Press releases [+ More](https://www.transparency.org/en/search/filter?priority=public-procurement&type=pressRelease) ## [Transparency International welcomes progress on development finance agenda, urges strong implementation](https://www.transparency.org/en/press/transparency-international-welcomes-progress-on-development-finance-agenda-urges-strong-implementation) Press • 20 June 2025 ## [Lack of transparency over vaccine trials, secretive contracts and ‘science by press release’ risk success of global COVID-19 response](https://www.transparency.org/en/press/covid-19-vaccines-lack-of-transparency-trials-secretive-contracts-science-by-press-release-risk-success-of-global-response) Press • 25 May 2021 ## [IMF: Scant transparency for COVID-19 emergency loans](https://www.transparency.org/en/press/imf-covid-19-emergency-loans-corruption-scant-transparency) Press • 30 March 2021 ## [EU leaders asked to toughen anti-corruption measures in the next round of financing to protect public contracts](https://www.transparency.org/en/press/mff-ngeu-public-contracting-eu-leaders-toughen-anti-corruption-measures) Press • 14 October 2020 ## Explore all priorities - [Asset recovery and the theft of public money](https://www.transparency.org/en/our-priorities/asset-recovery-and-the-theft-of-public-money) - [Business integrity](https://www.transparency.org/en/our-priorities/business-and-corruption) - [Climate crisis](https://www.transparency.org/en/our-priorities/climate-crisis) - [Defence and security](https://www.transparency.org/en/our-priorities/defence-and-security) - [Dirty money](https://www.transparency.org/en/our-priorities/dirty-money) - [Extractive industries](https://www.transparency.org/en/our-priorities/extractive-industries) - [Foreign bribery enforcement](https://www.transparency.org/en/our-priorities/foreign-bribery-enforcement) - [Gender](https://www.transparency.org/en/our-priorities/gender-and-corruption) - [Grand corruption](https://www.transparency.org/en/our-priorities/grand-corruption) - [Health](https://www.transparency.org/en/our-priorities/health-and-corruption) - [Judiciary and law enforcement](https://www.transparency.org/en/our-priorities/judiciary-and-law-enforcement) - [Land corruption](https://www.transparency.org/en/our-priorities/land-corruption) - [Political integrity](https://www.transparency.org/en/our-priorities/political-integrity) - [Public procurement](https://www.transparency.org/en/our-priorities/public-procurement) - [Right to information](https://www.transparency.org/en/our-priorities/right-to-information) - [Sustainable Development Goals](https://www.transparency.org/en/our-priorities/sustainable-development-goals) - [Whistleblowing](https://www.transparency.org/en/our-priorities/whistleblowing) Asset recovery and the theft of public money Business integrity Climate crisis Defence and security Dirty money Extractive industries Foreign bribery enforcement Gender Grand corruption Health Judiciary and law enforcement Land corruption Political integrity Public procurement Right to information Sustainable Development Goals Whistleblowing