Public procurement represents one of the most significant state financial flows – in 2025, more than 12 thousand procurements were announced and over 25 thousand contracts were concluded in Latvia, with a total value reaching nearly 8 billion euros. Given such volume, corruption risks are assessed as constant and cannot be fully excluded, yet they are manageable. Accordingly, the primary goal of the structural reform of the public procurement system is to strengthen risk management by introducing effective, data-driven control instruments and ensuring broad availability of information across all stages of procurement, including below-threshold procurements. This will strengthen state control mechanisms and the public's ability to track the investment of public funds.
As a result of the structural reform of the public procurement system, data accessibility regarding concluded contracts and actual expenditures will be ensured. Until now, the Procurement Monitoring Bureau has not had data at its disposal regarding the so-called small procurements, the value of which does not exceed 10,000 euros for goods and services and 20,000 euros for construction works. The reform stipulates that this data will also become accessible to supervisory authorities and the public, thereby significantly expanding transparency in the investment of public funds.
Wider data accessibility will allow for the identification of risk trends, analysis of price consistency, and evaluation of contracting authorities' actions based on objective indicators. This signifies a transition to full systemic transparency, which allows for timely detection of potential discrepancies and prevention of risks.
At the same time, the Corruption Prevention and Combating Bureau will continue to play a vital role in the assessment and investigation of individual corrupt activities. The implementation of the reform does not replace the functions of law enforcement institutions but rather strengthens systemic risk management by making information more accessible and analytically usable.
The development of the public procurement system is based on the principle that corruption risks can be effectively reduced through openness, data, and systemic oversight. The reform creates an environment where every public euro is traceable, and possible deviations are more rapidly identifiable.
Simultaneously, the implementation of the reform is linked not only to changes in the regulatory framework but also to a shift in practice and institutional culture, as the quality and efficiency of the procurement outcome will depend on both the framework established by law and the professional conduct of the contracting authorities.