From August 12 to 14, 2026, the Inter-American Network on Government Procurement (INGP) held its 20th Annual Conference at the Monterrey International Business Center (CINTERMEX) in Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico. The event marked a major milestone, bringing together more than 400 participants, public procurement authorities from 28 countries across the region, international organizations, experts, private-sector representatives, and other stakeholders committed to strengthening public procurement systems.

Under the theme “Public Procurement as a Driver of State Coordination and Interconnection,” the Conference provided a platform to reflect on how public procurement can connect institutions, levels of government, markets, and capacities to better address the challenges facing countries across the Americas.

For the first time, the INGP Annual Conference was organized in collaboration with a subnational government—the State of Nuevo León—bringing the spirit of this edition to life and highlighting the importance of coordination across different levels of government. The Conference was co-organized by the Organization of American States (OAS), in its capacity as Technical Secretariat of the Inter-American Network on Government Procurement (INGP); the Anti-Corruption and Good Government Secretariat of the Government of Mexico; the Secretariat of Administration of the State of Nuevo León; the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB); and the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB).

The Organization of American States, as Technical Secretariat of the INGP, led the coordination and development of this twentieth edition, working closely with the countries and partners of the Network and promoting a high-level technical agenda. The program brought together content, experiences, and speakers addressing the main challenges and emerging trends in public procurement across the region. This work reaffirmed the OAS’s commitment to regional cooperation, knowledge exchange, and the strengthening of public procurement systems throughout the Americas.

During the opening ceremony, representatives of governments and multilateral organizations highlighted the strategic role of public procurement in strengthening institutional management, coordinating efforts at the regional level, and contributing to the generation of public value.

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“In Mexico, we have a saying: good government begins with good public procurement. And buying well does not simply mean buying at the lowest price. It means asking ourselves: What problems did we solve? What public value did we generate? What productive capacities did we strengthen? And how many people did we benefit? The country is moving from a procurement model focused merely on procedures toward public procurement conceived as a policy instrument for development, social justice, and integrity.” Alejandro Encinas Nájera, Undersecretary for Good Government, Secretariat for Anti-Corruption and Good Government of the Federal Government of Mexico.

“Public procurement is a strategic function that connects public policy priorities with the institutional, territorial, and productive capacities needed to translate them into concrete results for citizens. When public procurement systems operate in an integrated manner, they enable institutions and levels of government to coordinate, align public demand, mobilize market capabilities, and improve the implementation of public policies.” Germán Zappani, Head of Operations of the IDB Country Office in Mexico.

“The central theme of this Conference invites us to reflect on the strategic role of procurement in strengthening our institutions across all levels of government, engaging the capabilities of the market, and ultimately delivering greater public value for the people that we serve. CDB has stood as a partner for several years, and it is remarkable to reflect on how our conversations have evolved, reflecting a deeper understanding of procurement’s strategic role.” Naomi Akoy-Bouguenon, Acting Head of Procurement, CDB.

“We are proud that, through the Organization of American States, as Technical Secretariat of the INGP (…), we have contributed to mobilizing technical, institutional, and financial resources for cooperation; fostering synergies among more than 100 institutions; facilitating dialogue; advancing the regional agenda; and providing technical support that has resulted in institutional and regulatory reforms, regional consensus through various declarations, strengthened institutional and market capacities, and the development of measurement tools and technical instruments that now guide decision-making in countries toward public procurement that generates public value and transforms purchasing into impact—not only through anti-corruption policies, but also through sustainable development policies.” Helena Fonseca, Principal Specialist, Public Procurement Program, Organization of American States, and Technical Secretary of the INGP.

“At the INGP, we have been working to strengthen cooperative and coordinated action, recognizing that public procurement goes far beyond the simple acquisition of goods and services. It constitutes a fundamental mechanism for mobilizing the economy, optimizing public resources, and ensuring transparency in government management. Strengthening its interconnection enables us to build stronger, more efficient institutions that are closer to citizens’ needs throughout the region. (…) As a representative of Paraguay, I would like to reaffirm our firm commitment to strengthening the Network, a regional cooperation platform that has grown and evolved remarkably over the past 20 years.” Juan Agustín Encina, President of the INGP 2026–2028 and National Director of Public Procurement of Paraguay.

“We are honored that our land serves as a meeting point where all these countries, international organizations, academia, and the business community come together to discuss the future and public procurement. (…) The Inter-American Network on Government Procurement offers us a trusted space to share good practices, learn from one another, and transform public resources into tangible well-being for our families.” Javier Navarro Velasco, Coordinator of the Good Government Cabinet of the State of Nuevo León.

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The technical agenda featured more than 30 high-level speakers, who shared experiences, good practices, and new perspectives on issues shaping the evolution of public procurement. These included economic security and resilience in supply chains, value for money, economic and territorial development, integrity and compliance, artificial intelligence, innovation, sustainability, and professionalization.

As part of the panel on economic development, competitiveness, and innovation, the OAS presented the 2026 INGP Declaration, “Innovation as a Driver of Public Procurement Transformation.” Through its 10 recommendations, the Declaration sets out a regional vision that recognizes innovation across multiple dimensions—not only in what governments purchase, but also in how they plan and manage procurement, use data and technology, engage with markets, develop capabilities, and generate new solutions to public challenges.

The Declaration also provides guidance to countries as they advance, according to their respective contexts, capacities, and priorities, toward public procurement systems that are more strategic, agile, intelligent, and future-ready. Watch the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BwZIr9L58Ok 

It was also an opportunity to recognize experiences that are already delivering results. During the Conference, the 2026 INGP Award for Innovation in Public Procurement were presented, recognizing initiatives from Brazil, Chile, Paraguay, and Colombia for their contributions to market access, integrity, professionalization, and open innovation.

The submissions were evaluated across the following four categories:

– Category I: Innovation in the Implementation of New Technologies and Digital Tools: Ministry of Management and Innovation in Public Services, Brazil. Experience: “Contrata+Brasil.”

– Category II: Innovation in Institutional Reforms and/or Regulatory Frameworks: ChileCompra, Chile. Experience: “Data Intelligence for Public Integrity.”

– Category III: Innovation in Institutional Change, Strategic Vision, and Innovation Culture: National Directorate of Public Procurement (DNCP), Paraguay. Experience: “Public Procurement Professionals Registry.”

– Category IV: Innovation in the Development of Strategies for Openness and Collaboration with Other Stakeholders: Mayor’s Office of Bogotá, Colombia. Experience: “Open Innovation GovTech Call.”

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This edition also featured EXPO INGP 2026, with the participation of 11 companies presenting solutions related to technology, artificial intelligence, sustainability, construction materials, and other areas relevant to the modernization of public procurement.

The participation of GEP – Intelligence Drives Innovation, in the Platinum Category, was particularly noteworthy. The company contributed to the technical agenda by presenting its innovations for risk detection across supply chains.

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Public Session Videos

First Day: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A7fOOtMzHak&t=2698s

Second Day: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oCtVPyI5bNE

During the third day, the Private Session with National Public Procurement Directors from INGP member and observer countries was held. In this session, the OAS, in its capacity as Technical Secretariat of the INGP, presented its 2024–2025 management report and the 2025–2026 INGP Activities Report (available only in Spanish).

In accordance with the INGP Statutes and the agenda, the Network also proceeded with the selection of the host country for the XXI Annual Conference of the INGP. A joint candidacy submitted by the Council of the Judiciary of the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires (CABA) and the National Procurement Office (ONC) of Argentina was presented and unanimously selected by the representatives of the participating INGP member and observer countries.

Final Report – XX Annual Conference of the INGP 2026

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After 20 Annual Conferences, the Inter-American Network on Government Procurement continues to consolidate its position as a leading regional platform for connecting countries, sharing knowledge, learning from experiences across the Americas, and strengthening cooperation.

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