Open Ownership / beneficial ownership transparency in public procurement
Intervention Mechanism
A beneficial ownership transparency initiative supports the use and disclosure of information on who ultimately owns or controls bidding companies. This helps identify hidden control, political links, related parties, and opaque intermediaries in public procurement.
Initiative Summary
Open Ownership publishes guidance and tools for using beneficial ownership information in public procurement. Its materials explain how ownership data can help identify who stands behind bidding companies, agents, subcontractors, and consortium partners. This strengthens scrutiny of procurement processes.
Practice Lesson
This initiative demonstrates how beneficial ownership transparency can strengthen tender oversight. It makes hidden ownership and control easier to detect. It is useful for identifying politically exposed links, related-party risks, and opaque bidder structures.
Reference
Blažo, O., Zigo, D., & Markle, A. (2026). Measuring the impact of beneficial ownership transparency in public procurement: Starter guide. Open Ownership. Available from: https://www.openownership.org/en/publications/measuring-the-impact-of-beneficial-ownership-transparency-in-public-procurement/
Supporting References
Kiepe, T., & Okunbor, E. (2021). Beneficial ownership data in procurement. Open Ownership. Available from: https://www.openownership.org/en/publications/beneficial-ownership-data-in-procurement/<br />
Open Contracting Partnership. (n.d.). Beneficial ownership. Available from: https://www.open-contracting.org/what-is-open-contracting/beneficial-ownership/