Columbia International Affairs Online: Policy Briefs

CIAO DATE: 12/2014

Publishing Government Contracts: Addressing Concerns and Easing Implementation (Brief)

Charles Kenny

November 2014

Center for Global Development

Abstract

Government procurement worldwide is worth around $9.5 trillion a year. Oil, gas, and mining rents (the gap between the price of the goods produced and the cost of production) amount to around $5 trillion, which is 4.8 percent of global GDP. Governments routinely sign multibillion-dollar contracts regarding the use of public property including those natural resources. The resulting contracts are public documents, for which default practice should be in favor of publication.