Moving Forward: Building on the Successes of the Open Contracting Partnership

The Open Contracting Partnership is entering a new stage marked by important milestones such as the election of the Partnership’s first Executive Director Gavin Hayman, the first meeting of the Advisory Board of Directors and the launch of the Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS).

As Chair of the new OCP Advisory Board of Directors, I want to share with you some highlights of the most important recent developments. I also would like to share some thoughts on what the Partnership is planning to do to build upon its successes and tp maximize its impact in the pursuit of ensuring that all public contracting as efficient and as effective as it can be. 

The Open Contracting Partnership has taken an important step, as it has become an independent organization, with its own staff, and governed by an Advisory Board of Directors. This transition is the source of pride for many of us who have seen the Partnership evolve from a simple idea to the global collaborative effort that it is today.

On November 19th in Washington, the outgoing Steering Group, which has done a remarkable job at building the Partnership from its inception in 2012 until now, transitioned its duties to the new Executive Director and to the Advisory Board. Coming out of the meeting, I am certain that the Partnership and its new leadership are well positioned to build on and continue the tremendous work realized so far by the outgoing Steering Group, as well as to advance the global Open Contracting agenda.

I am especially thrilled to see the group of outstanding and committed individuals from the government, civil society and academia that have agreed to come together to form the Partnership’s new Advisory Board. I am confident that, with their diverse backgrounds and long experience on matters related to Open Contracting, they will be able to make the most of the important opportunities ahead.

As outcomes of the first Advisory Board meeting, the Partnership will seek to refine its vision and mandate, as well as to build a new multi-year strategy that will guide it as it seeks to advance and promote Open Contracting around the world. In the Advisory Board, we strongly believe that as the momentum for Open Contracting keeps growing, the renewed focus on its vision, mandate and strategy, will put the Partnership in an ideal position to push forward its agenda in all its ongoing work streams from the Open Contracting Principles, the Open Contracting Data Standard, to the Community of Practice, among others.

During the Advisory Board meeting, we also made it clear that we want the OCP to demonstrate exemplary behavior in terms of transparency and openness by disclosing all its own information in the coming year. We look forward to having the Partnership lead by example in its commitment to openness and integrity. You can see the minutes of the Advisory Board meeting here. 

As the Partnership enters this new stage, I want to thank all of you for your continued engagement and support with Open Contracting. This idea wouldn’t have been able to turn into the Partnership that it is today if it weren’t for your inputs and your help. I hope that you are as excited as I am, and as the rest of the Open Contracting leadership is, to continue working towards a vision in which public contracting is as effective and as efficient as it can possibly be.

The Future is Open!

Robert R. Hunja

Chair of the Advisory Board of Directors

Open Contracting Partnership