Unlocking Investigations Into Government Procurement Government procurement corruption is a growing problem in an increasingly kleptocratic world, draining public coffers in sectors such as security,…

Are you at the @gijn.org Global Investigative Journalism Conference in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia? Meet me there! I’ll be sharing some of the tips, tricks & red flags in a session on unlocking investigations into #publicprocurement gijc2025.org/program/sche...

Check out the stories on the use and abuse of public contracts, tips, data insights & resources for investigating #publicprocurement in my latest newsletter: opencontracting.substack.com/p/contracts-... #ddj #opendata

Great feature on an impactful organization. Kudos @civio.es

Civio: Data Journalism Pioneer in Spain, Still Pushing For Greater Transparency The organization has one guiding principle: “Let the data speak.” But sometimes getting hold of the information they need is an uphill battle.

At first, we thought simply releasing data would make a difference, but we soon realized that telling the story through that data was what truly mattered.
Discover how Civio evolved from open-data pioneers to narrative-driven data journalists with Ana Ćurić at @gijn.org.

👀 Dive into the full story.

While fighting for its future, #Ukraine invented a better way to make investments that benefit people and the planet.

Launched 2 years ago, here's how Ukraine's DREAM ecosystem is making an impact: open-contracting.org/2025/07/10/d...
#UkraineRecovery #URC25 #URC2025

Du kannst besser mit Geld umgehen als Jens Spahn?

Beweise dein Finanzgeschick und verteile die verpulverten 3,1 Milliarden Euro Steuergelder mit mehr Sinn, Verstand und sozialem Mehrwert als der ehemalige Gesundheitsminister.

Mach's besser, und zwar hier: fragdenstaat.de/aktionen/ver...

When it comes to procurement reforms, how can #BeneficialOwnership #transparency help reduce #corruption?

Check out this new #BriberyMatters blog post where @opengavin.bsky.social and @georgneu.bsky.social of @opencontracting.bsky.social are interviewed:

www.briberymatters.com/post/how-pub...

How Public Procurement Reform Can Drive the Fight Against Corruption (Part 1) According to the OECD, “public procurement is the government activity most vulnerable to waste, mismanagement and corruption,” and over “half of foreign bribery cases occurred to obtain a public procu...

@georgneu.bsky.social & I had a great conversation with the team at Bribery Matters.

We took stock of global progress on improving public procurement & shared six lessons from real-world success stories 🧵

www.briberymatters.com/post/how-pub...

Wait, there's more: insights into red flags in public contracts in the US by @pogo.org & @propublica.org, who's behind the company building a football stadium in Kyrgyzstan @occrp.org, which cars public institutions buy in North Macedonia & more! All here opencontracting.substack.com/p/contracts-...

Contracts, Data and Investigations - Edition 81 This month: US influencers, a medicine price tracker in Brazil, surveillance tech contracts, and handy open data tools.

My latest newsletter on investigating public contracts is out. Includes great work from @fragdenstaat.de on consultancy contracts, 5 tips to investigate surveillance tech, a medicine price tracker in Brazil & handy #opendata tools @okfn.bsky.social #ddj opencontracting.substack.com/p/contracts-...

Trump Team Eyes Politically Connected Startup to Overhaul $700 Billion Government Payments Program A little-known firm with investors linked to JD Vance, Elon Musk and Trump could get a piece of the federal expense card system — and its hundreds of millions in fees. “This goes against all the norma...

NEW: A little-known firm with investors linked to JD Vance, Elon Musk and Trump could get a piece of the federal expense card system — and its hundreds of millions in fees.

“This goes against all the normal contracting safeguards,” one expert said.

By @chrisbing.bsky.social & Avi Asher-Schapiro

SPD, keine Koalition ohne Informationsfreiheit! Die Union plant, das Informationsfreiheitsgesetz auszuhebeln. Fordere die SPD auf, keine Koalition ohne Transparenz einzugehen. Jetzt unterzeichnen ✍️​

2/3 Wie wichtig #Informationsfreiheit für unsere #Gesellschaft ist, hat auch die Petition von @fragdenstaat.de gezeigt, die innerhalb einer Woche über 430.000 Menschen unterzeichnet haben.

Das zeigt: #Zivilgesellschaft schafft Veränderungen!💪

weact.campact.de/petitions/sp...

Das Informationsfreiheitsgesetz ist eine kritische Stütze für demokratisches Handeln und um Verantwortung einzufordern. Diese Stütze zu schwächen ist eine Strategie der #statecapture, wie bei der heutigen Weltbank-Anti-Korruptions Konferenz deutlich wird.

Philipp Amthor und das IFG: Warum das Transparenz-Gesetz zur Debatte steht Das Informationsfreiheitsgesetz macht den Staat transparenter und beugt Korruption vor. Nun planen CDU-Politiker um Philipp Amthor eine Reform. SPIEGEL-Reporter Sven Becker weiß aus eigener Erfahrung, worum es geht.

Das Informationsfreiheitsgesetz macht den Staat transparenter und beugt Korruption vor. Nun planen CDU-Politiker um Philipp Amthor eine Reform. SPIEGEL-Reporter Sven Becker weiß aus eigener Erfahrung, worum es geht.

1/6 📢 Gemeinsam ein Zeichen für Transparenz setzen! Unterstützt unsere Forderungen für ein starkes #IFG! 🗣️ Mehr erfahren:
www.transparency.de/aktuelles/de...

As always, our newsletter is packed with great stories + investigations, including from @globalwitness.bsky.social @poynterinstitute.bsky.social @nytimes.com @emilydavies.bsky.social @hannahnatanson.bsky.social @jsvine.com @theijf.org @laismartins.com @compatibilism.bsky.social

Plus: the team at Indonesia Corruption Watch shares 6 steps civic monitors can use to spot potential corruption using red flags & data + shows how to do that in practice #ddj opencontracting.substack.com/i/159256224/...

Contracts, Data and Investigations - Edition 80 This time: DOGE demolition and other blows to U.S. contracts, military procurement, corruption monitoring in Indonesia and analyzing country data on climate spending, sanctions and healthcare

My latest newsletter on Contracts, Data & Investigations just dropped, checking in this time on: DOGE demolition & other blows to U.S. contracts, military procurement, and analyzing country data on climate spending, sanctions and healthcare opencontracting.substack.com/p/contracts-...

Beraterberichte-Datenbank: Wie Berater*innen vom Staat Hunderte Millionen Euro kassieren Verschleiern, Verschwenden, Klüngeln: Die Berater*innen-Deals der Bundesregierung haben schon für zahlreiche Skandale gesorgt. Es fehlt Kontrolle. Bis jetzt. Wir veröffentlichen erstmals die bislang g...

Auf Basis von geleakten Dokumenten haben wir mit #ReschkeFernsehen zu den Beratungsaufträgen des Bundes recherchiert. Wir haben monatelang die „Beraterberichte“ des Bundesfinanzministerium durchkämmt, nachgerechnet & veröffentlichen erstmals die geheimen Unterlagen.
fragdenstaat.de/artikel/exkl...

This week’s reading: without a shared reality, we can’t have democracy as we know it.

Ein guter, und wichtiger Beitrag zu einem Thema, das oft nur als technisch gesehen wird. Wichtig auch: mehr öffentliche Transparenz, basierend auf einer modernen Digitalstruktur und offenen Daten, die den Bürgern die Möglichkeit gibt, Vergabeprozesse und Regierungsausgaben zu verfolgen. #Korruption

Die Korruption saniert in Berlin mit: Bauverwaltung vergab Aufträge für Komische Oper an belastetes Unternehmen Die Senatsverwaltung beauftragte eine Firma, dessen Co-Gesellschafter wegen Korruption verurteilt wurde. Dabei sollen Kriminelle eigentlich keine öffentlichen Aufträge erhalten können.

Das Korruptionsrisiko bei öffentlichen Beschaffungen ist riesig, denn es geht um viel Geld, ob beim Einkauf von Masken oder Panzern. Wir brauchen Anti-Korruptionsregeln die dagegen wirken. Das Beispiel zeigt: dieses Wettbewerbsregister ist dazu nicht in der Lage!

www.tagesspiegel.de/berlin/die-k...

A Jazzy - Bossa Night A night of jazz and bossa nova. Starting with some favorite piano and big band jazz tunes before closing on a round of bossa nova and Brazil-Latin beats. Playlist to come.

If you're still looking for a nice classic playlist for the next couple of hours, to get you swooshing and dancing. Everything is better with some good tunes 🕺🎶 soundcloud.com/klangbug/a-j...

Contracts, Data and Investigations - Edition 79 This month: A new guide to detecting red flags, tips from Guatemala’s Ana Carolina Alpírez, and the link between public contracts and organized crime

My last Contracts, Data & Investigations for the year is out! Check out some excellent stories, resources & the tips from Guatemala’s Ana Carolina Alpírez @ojoconmipisto.bsky.social & on the link between public contracts & organized crime opencontracting.substack.com/p/contracts-...

Direct awards, particularly below threshold. This may be the most classic of #redflags, particularly in the EU.

What's your favorite risk indicator #anticorruption?

Also, check out our fancy overview 👉

New #redflags in #publicprocurement guide & a perfect day to share it! We've got:
✅ a step-by-step for your data monitoring process
✅ key types of corruption risk indicators
✅ data sheets for each of our 73 red flags

Check it out www.open-contracting.org/redflags #anticorruption #IACD2024

Well-Connected Private Investor Scoops Up Hydropower Rights in Georgia Businessman Koka Kokolashvili keeps a low profile in Georgia — but he does have family connections to the country’s political elite. Now, as the EU is looking to Georgia’s hydroelectric industry as an...

The EU looks to Georgia as an untapped source of hydroelectric power.

But secrecy shrouds contracts the government has handed hydropower developers. OCCRP + @studiomonitori found at least 25 awarded to a well-connected businessman with no renewable energy experience.

www.occrp.org/en/investiga...

Contratistas y criminales ¿Cómo el crimen organizado logró infiltrarse en la contratación pública de Ecuador?

Excellent investigation by CONNECTAS looking at public contracts to companies linked to organized crime in Ecuador. Finding 97 contracts worth $13.5m www.connectas.org/especiales/c...

Recomiendo seguir la cobertura que está haciendo @eldiario.es @lucmarco.bsky.social de las contrataciones de emergencia para la reconstrucción de Valencia tras la DANA. Excelentes ejemplos de qué NO hay que hacer con las compras públicas.

www.open-contracting.org/wp-content/u...

This is big. Not only is this about $250m in bribes for public contracts, but it also shows the massive risk in #climatefinance & need for more transparency.

Announcement & indictment PDF 👉 www.justice.gov/usao-edny/pr...