CompraNet Is Back on Track

After being down for several days, CompraNet became fully operational again. The return to operations was scheduled for mid-August, but the Ministry of Finance announced that the government’s procurement portal was able to go online ahead of schedule.

The CompraNet platform was fully up and running again for use by the administration, purchasing units, suppliers and contractors, announced the Ministry of Finance on Aug. 1, 2022.

The authorities confirmed they had verified that the expansion of the storage capacity was correctly carried out together with the technical valuation tests. Likewise, it was highlighted that specialized personnel maintains permanent monitoring of the platform so that it continues to operate in optimal conditions.

"Bravo Solution’s technical support verified that the storage capacity expansion was properly recognized to start the configuration process of the system infrastructure. [...] Specialized personnel from the Treasury Department is permanently monitoring that the platform continues to operate in optimal conditions," said the finance ministry in its press release.

CompraNet's interruption was reported on July 15. The platform stopped operating due to technical problems in its storage system, which affected the website's operability. The suspension of the CompraNet service generated criticism and concern, as it is a key system toward establishing transparency regarding government transactions.

The Ministry of Finance informed that the contracting processes would not be stopped despite the interruption, and indicated that the contracting processes would be carried out in person, always "respecting legal provisions.” In response to this measure, civil society groups pointed out that the extraordinary measures implemented due to the problems in the system "would encourage opacity and corruption.”

The Ministry of Finance explained that, once operations are resumed, all those agencies that made contracts in the last two weeks must upload all the information in the system to "guarantee accountability.”

However, CompraNet has failed to shed light on the 214 tenders carried out during the two weeks that its platform was down and on which MX$14 billion (US$683.49 million) were spent, said Leonardo Núñez, Director of Applied Research, Mexicans Against Corruption and Impunity (MCCI) in an interview with W Radio.