Whistleblowing open data impact. An implementation and impact assessment.

ended

Whistleblower protection and open data are unanimously recognised as key measures to deter and detect corruption in public procurement. This project will assess the current implementation and impact of these measures in seven Member States (Austria, Estonia, France, Ireland, Italy, Romania, and Slovenia) in order to develop an ICT tool for the public administrations (from local authorities to public companies). The long-term objective is to increase transparency and integrity in public procurement that contributes obtaining more efficient public expenditure, higher quality of goods, services and public work and more trust in government from the citizens. After reviewing the legislation and policy on whistleblower and open data in the seven partner countries, the main activities of the project are: 1) an assessment of the implementation of the two measures, by identifying how they are applied and how they function, their strengths and shortcoming; 2) an assessment of the impact of these measures, by highlighting if, how and how much they are contributing to enhance transparent and integrity in public procurement; 3) the development of an assessment model grounded on the result of the two previous activities; 4) the development of an ICT tool that allows the public administration to assess their policy on whistleblowing and open data. The direct/medium-term beneficiaries of the results of the project are the public administrations that could apply the ICT tool to self-evaluate their policies. The project will also contribute increasing in the public administration a culture of openness and integrity. Specific attention will be paid to citizens as long-term beneficiaries of the project not only because they will benefit from a more accountable public administration but also because they would be involved in contributing to this accountability through a more aware approach to open data and transparency in the public administration.