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Preventive Audit in Contracts: Expense, Bidding and Adhesion Analysis System

The Preventive Audit in Contracts: Expense, Bidding and Adhesion Analysis System, Sistema Analisador de Gastos, Editais de Licitações e Adesões (ANGELICA) is a robotic automation process (RPA - Robotic Process Automation) based on software, built in Phyton, developed with the objective of monitoring the acquisitions of goods, contracting of services, and budgetary, financial and patrimonial execution. It is based on pre-established criteria, initially within the scope of the organs and entities that are part of the Presidency of the Republic and the Vice-Presidency of the Republic of the Government of Brazil.

Innovation Summary

Innovation Overview

The system has been specially developed for the timely examination of large volumes of information at low cost, in order to provide relevant and timely information to public managers. It was not possible to generate information with the same level of efficiency before the adoption of the ANGELICA solution. The innovation is seen in the following set of characteristics presented by this RPA: possibility of simultaneous analysis of a large volume of data, with generation of timely information at low cost, possibility of replication to other organisations and efficiency in the preventive action of deviations of public resources and mismanagement. The RPA - ANGELICA solution was designed to generate more agility in the monitoring of procurement processes, initially those elaborated within the scope of the Presidency of the Republic. The continuous examination of activities involving bidding processes, as well as waivers of bidding are essential to safeguard resources, avoid losses and damage to the treasury.

In the period prior to the use of the ANGELICA tool, the audit team's workforce was not sufficient to analyse, with the desired breadth, the agency's procurement operations, in order to assist management efficiently and timely. Based on pre-established criteria of materiality, risk, relevance and criticality, ANGELICA indicates processes to be previously examined by the auditors. Considering that the electronic auction, for example, takes place within eight days after the publication of the notice, the auditors start checking the elements that make up the monitoring of the process selected by RPA - ANGELICA.

The first and most relevant issue to be verified is the adequacy of the estimated price, since its impact, when overestimated, may give rise to the contracting of overpriced materials and services, which is the main risk factor for damage to the treasury in the contracting process. Next, the continuity of the analysis is directed according to the time that remains until the auction is held. At this point, the following aspects are prioritised: the size of the object, restrictive clauses, content and compliance with the recommendations of the technical and legal area, adjustment and renegotiation clauses and provisional and definitive receipt. The innovation has so far benefited the bodies that make up and are linked to the Presidency of the Republic.

In addition, the Goiânia Comptroller's Office and the Amazonas State Court of Auditors have entered into a cooperation agreement with the Secretariat of Internal Control of the Presidency of the Republic and are gradually adapting their workflows for maximum utilisation of the RPA tool. Terms of co-operation with the Comptroller's Office of the State of Amazonas and the City of Manaus are in progress and should be signed soon. The replicability on a large scale by bodies and entities of all spheres is totally feasible, as institutions only need to adhere to the functionalities of the ANGELICA solution, after signing a cooperation agreement with the Secretariat of Internal Control of the Presidency of the Republic. A booklet was prepared on the use of ANGELICA to facilitate the understanding of concepts and practical routines by institutions in general.

Innovation Description

What Makes Your Project Innovative?

The RPA - ANGELICA solution is innovative in that it searches a large volume of procurement processes for goods and services for the public sector, through direct access to the government system Comprasnet Siasg (Integrated System of General Services Administration), with extraction, separation and classification of data and availability of alerts, based on predefined criteria and parameters (risk, materiality, relevance, criticality of the management units or by purchase item). It is also possible to use the Annual Procurement Plan as parameters for the filters, with priorities indicated by managers, as well as to adapt the solution to state and municipal needs. The alerts arising from the RPA associated with the prioritisation of the scope of analysis allow the auditor to be assertive in his analysis, producing timely information for management. In addition, there is the practicality of operating the RPA with limited equipment resources (computer connected to the internet).

Innovation Development

Collaborations & Partnerships

  • Secretary of Internal Control of SG/PR
  • Edson Leonardo Dalescio Sa Teles General Audit Coordinator
  • Eduardo J. C. Mello General Audit Coordinator
  • André S. Paiva Elaboration and Development Team Server
  • Marcelo Dias Campos Server
  • Laila M. A. e Albuquerque Server
  • Marcio Alves Santiago Partners Team
  • General Coordination of Continuous Audit and Technical Advisory Team
  • General Coordination of Management Audit and Institutional Guidelines

Users, Stakeholders & Beneficiaries

  • Users: professionals working in the area of control of public institutions.
  • Stakeholders: professionals working in the management area of public institutions.
  • Beneficiaries: citizens in general.

Innovation Reflections

Results, Outcomes & Impacts

The use of the RPA - ANGELICA solution produced more accurate performance by the audit team in monitoring procurement processes with the generation of more timely information to the manager. The audit report prepared in July 2021, after six months of using the ANGELICA solution, provides the following description of the financial benefits generated:

"The financial benefits, arising from the timely performance of Internal Control, with the help of the ANGELICA System, were measured in the total of R$ 1,387,946.99 per year, being R$ 60,283.92 annually, in Auction No. 6/2021, and R$ 1,327,663.07 annually, in Auction No. 21/2021." 49. 49 Knowing that these are service contracts and that they may be extended for up to 5 years, the financial benefits may be even greater, reaching a total of R$ 6,939,734.95." In addition, there were non-financial benefits such as improved internal controls and improved governance of management processes.

Challenges and Failures

The first major challenge faced was to establish the flow: purchases detected, screening based on pre-established criteria, examination of the tender, reason for warning, and decision by the head. All within 48 hours. Having a team of auditors always ready to process the event is difficult due to the limited labour force. Another difficulty was the different priorities of the IT area, which centrally serves the entire Presidency of the Republic. The RPA - ANGELICA tool was then built with labour from the audit area itself. The integration of RPA with the government procurement system was designed so that auditors could programme the extraction of information at any time, defining the list of units, preliminary classification criteria and sending e-mails. The system and the RPA would work on any computer, without the need for a local network or IT support, storing data in the cloud and running on any auditor's private laptop.

Conditions for Success

After overcoming the technical challenges for the construction of the RPA - ANGELICA solution, the tool requires minimal infrastructure for operation. With just a personal computer (desktop or notebook) with internet access, the auditor can use the solution. The institution interested in using the tool must standardise procedures in the context of its governance and management policy. Models can be obtained from regulations published by the Presidency of the Republic. Likewise, support from senior management and adequate guidance are required. In this regard, the Presidency of the Republic can provide support in terms of training and guidance. The operation of the APR requires few human and financial resources. However, expertise in the area of Information Technology and auditing is required.

Replication

The RPA - ANGELICA solution has already been replicated for use by the Goiânia Comptroller's Office and the Amazonas State Court of Auditors, following the conclusion of a cooperation agreement between these institutions and the Secretariat of Internal Control of the Presidency of the Republic. Negotiations are underway for the replication of the tool by the Amazonas State Comptroller's Office and the Comptroller's Office of the city of Manaus. The innovation can be shared with any agencies and institutions that wish to adopt the RPA solution in their environments.

Lessons Learned

Work routines must be adapted to make the best use of the tool. Institutions wishing to adopt the solution will sometimes have to replace monitoring routines rooted in organisational culture with more modern practices based on the technology employed in RPA. The integration with the contract management areas has become more agile with direct benefits for managers and valorisation of the control area.

Anything Else?

A major stimulus for the development of the RPA - ANGELICA tool was the home working environment that the pandemic provided. This was because until then servers accessed the system on computers in the workplace. So data was stored locally, and when people went home - and most did not use VPN to access their work computer - we needed to migrate the data to the cloud. It was a temporary setback that resulted in a gain, because now, with the data in the cloud, we no longer have a specific location to access the System.

Status:

  • Implementation - making the innovation happen
  • Diffusing Lessons - using what was learnt to inform other projects and understanding how the innovation can be applied in other ways

Innovation provided by:

Date Published:

19 July 2023

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