| Year of assessment | 2020-2021 |
| Date of publication | October 2024 |
| Country procurement volume | 435.3 million USD (2017) |
| Principal organisation | Ministry of Finance (MoF) |
| Main partners | World Bank (WB), Asian Development Bank (ADB) |
Timor-Leste
Recognizing the central role that public procurement plays in public service delivery, financial management, and sustainable development, this MAPS MAIN assessment resulted in recommendations targeting sustainable procurement practices, improved institutional efficiency, strengthened procurement oversight, and enhanced transparency.
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Quick facts
Background
Why was a MAPS assessment initiated?
To evaluate the strengths, weaknesses, and gaps in Timor-Leste’s public procurement system and provide evidence-based recommendations for reform.
Who initiated the assessment?
The Government of Timor-Leste, in cooperation with development partners.
Brief description of the country procurement system
- Degree of centralization: The system is fragmented, with various agencies handling procurement functions without clear coordination.
- Regulatory nature: The legal framework has undergone major revisions with the adoption of PPL 2022, consolidating previous procurement laws into a single legal framework.
- Supranational regulations: No specific mention of external procurement regulations affecting Timor-Leste.
Additional relevant context:
- Timor-Leste’s procurement system has been affected by institutional weaknesses, weak enforcement, and lack of monitoring and transparency mechanisms.
- The country has a complex linguistic environment (Portuguese, Tetum, English, and Bahasa Indonesia), which affects communication and availability of procurement-related documents.
Were there any disruptions?
The assessment took place amid legal changes, as the new PPL 2022 was under preparation, leading to challenges in evaluating the system under both old and new regulations.
Main results and impact
- Issue: Weak enforcement of legal and regulatory frameworks and lack of a clear procurement appeal mechanism.
- Recommendations:
- Ensure that PPL 2022 is fully implemented with clear enforcement mechanisms.
- Establish an independent appeals body to review procurement decisions.
- Issue: Lack of coordination among procurement-related institutions and unclear assignment of responsibilities.
- Recommendations:
- Define clear roles for procurement institutions, including the Ministry of Finance and other agencies.
- Develop a central oversight body to coordinate procurement activities.
- Issue: Weak capacity-building mechanisms and lack of formal procurement training programs.
- Recommendations:
- Develop a comprehensive training and certification program for procurement officials.
- Establish partnerships with academic institutions to professionalize the procurement function.
- Issue: Limited monitoring and evaluation of procurement performance.
- Recommendations:
- Implement a performance measurement system to track procurement efficiency and compliance.
- Develop key performance indicators (KPIs) and a results framework to assess procurement reforms.
- Issue: Absence of an e-procurement system to enhance efficiency and transparency.
- Recommendations:
- Launch an e-procurement system with a centralized online portal for all procurement activities.
- Ensure that all procurement data is publicly accessible and complies with Open Contracting Data Standards.
- Issue: Lack of framework agreements for frequently procured goods and services.
- Recommendations:
- Introduce framework agreements to improve procurement efficiency, particularly for common-use items like office supplies and IT equipment.
- Issue: Weak audit and oversight mechanisms for procurement activities.
- Recommendations:
- Strengthen the procurement audit function within the Ministry of Finance.
- Develop a procurement audit manual incorporating risk-based assessment techniques.
- Issue: Limited transparency and citizen engagement in procurement processes.
- Recommendations:
- Develop a public procurement transparency portal where all tender and contract information is published.
- Engage civil society organizations (CSOs) in monitoring procurement practices.
- Issue: Absence of a dedicated mechanism for tracking and addressing corruption risks in procurement.
- Recommendations:
- Implement a risk management framework to detect and mitigate procurement fraud.
- Develop a procurement integrity pact requiring all bidders to commit to anti-corruption principles.