Peering Through the Digital Window: Assessing Online Disclosure of the Public Procurement Data in Bima City

Abstract

This article explores the level of "online data disclosure" or "website-based transparency" concerning Open Government and Electronic Public Procurement. It specifically focuses on the availability and accessibility of procurement data on the official public procurement website of the Bima City Government, which can be found at https://lpse.bimakota.go.id/eproc4. The transparency indicator used by researchers to explore this issue is the Municipal Transparency Index (MTI) from Portugal's Transparência e Integridade Associação Cívica (TIAC). The unit of analysis boils down to website-based transparency of public procurement documents and the activities inherent in its management. The researchers used two types of data, namely (i) primary data, obtained directly through in-depth interviews with several informants determined by purposive sampling technique, from the management of the government's electronic procurement system; and (ii) secondary data, obtained through a literature study of official documents, mass media articles, internet news sites, and others. This research is intended to add to the empirical case study on the level of website-based transparency managed by local governments in Indonesia, where this aspect is reflected by data openness in its provision and accessibility, which is an important prerequisite for building transparency and a core part of the Open Government initiative. The official website of the Bima City Government's EPP currently does not show an indication of ideal openness in terms of data availability and accessibility, due to specific constraints in the form of budget limitations, staff competence, and the commitment of political leaders. Corruption allegations against certain elite in the city illustrate the vulnerability of goods and services procurement to the worst maladministration practices or abuse of power.