Impact Reviews of Anti-Corruption Technologies in EProcurement and Open Contracting

Abstract

This review examines the impact of anti-corruption technologies implemented through e-procurement and open contracting systems on governance, transparency, accountability, and corruption reduction. Drawing on evidence from global impact reviews and empirical studies, the paper evaluates how digital procurement platforms have transformed public procurement by improving information disclosure, enhancing competition, strengthening audit capabilities, and promoting more efficient public financial management. The review finds that while e-procurement and open contracting consistently improve transparency, operational efficiency, data accessibility, and procurement performance, their direct effect on reducing corruption is mixed and highly dependent on contextual factors such as institutional capacity, political commitment, legal frameworks, and stakeholder participation. The analysis further highlights the importance of interoperable data standards, risk based monitoring systems, machine-readable procurement information, and complementary governance reforms in maximizing the effectiveness of anti-corruption technologies. Although digital technologies reduce opportunities for discretionary decision-making and facilitate the detection of procurement irregularities, they cannot independently eliminate corruption without strong accountability mechanisms, effective enforcement institutions, and active civic oversight. The review also identifies methodological limitations in existing evaluations, including attribution challenges, limited longitudinal evidence, data quality concerns, and variations in implementation across countries. Overall, the findings suggest that anti-corruption technologies should be viewed as enabling instruments that strengthen governance rather than as standalone solutions to corruption. Future reforms should integrate technological innovation with institutional strengthening, regulatory reforms, capacity development, and citizen engagement to achieve sustainable improvements in public procurement integrity and government accountability. Keywords: E-procurement, Open Contracting, Anti-corruption Technologies, Public Procurement and Governance and Transparency.