Open contracting is about the increased disclosure of government contracting and procurement processes and decisions. This includes opening up information on contracts for both goods and services. Disclosed information should include the planning, decision making, scoring, and awarding of all contracts.
By opening up the contracting process to greater public oversight, the government can encourage increased private sector participation in the public tender process. Currently, contracting with the government is in the domain of larger firms and middleman companies who possess the context-specific knowledge on how to work within the current, complex system. Lowering the barriers to entry will increase competition and save the government money.