transparency

Transparency is a foundational principle of public procurement that requires contracting authorities to act openly and make the procurement process visible and verifiable for all parties involved. It ensures that suppliers can understand, anticipate, and review decisions made throughout a procedure.

How does transparency work in procurement?

Transparency in practice means that contracting authorities must be open at every stage of the procurement process. It begins with the contract notice, where all relevant information is made publicly available. The tender documents must set out clear award criteria and requirements, so that suppliers know exactly what they will be assessed against.

During the process, any additional information provided to one supplier must also be shared with all other participants. After the contract is awarded, the procurement record ensures that decisions are documented and can be verified after the fact.

In EU law, Article 18(1) of Directive 2014/24/EU states that contracting authorities "shall act in a transparent and proportionate manner." Articles 48–55 set out specific publication obligations, including requirements for contract notices and award notices.

Why is transparency important?

• Prevents corruption: Openness makes it difficult to favour specific suppliers or make decisions behind closed doors
• Builds trust: Both suppliers and the public can verify that public funds are spent responsibly
• Ensures equal treatment: When everyone has access to the same information, suppliers compete on a level playing field
• Enables review: Documented processes give suppliers grounds to challenge decisions through complaint mechanisms like KOFA in Norway

The transparency principle applies even below the EU thresholds if a contract has potential cross-border interest. Tools like Cobrief can help suppliers stay on top of contract notices and ensure they capture all relevant information in open competitions.

Transparency is the bedrock of trust in public procurement. Without openness the regulatory framework loses its legitimacy, and without documentation no one can verify that the process was fair. For suppliers, transparency means they always have the right to understand why a decision was made.