01 / THE BLUEPRINT
The problem to investigate
Public budgets and tender notices can be scattered across PDFs and incompatible websites. Residents may not know what a government entity actually contracted to buy or whether terms later changed.
02 / THE BLUEPRINT
A possible solution
Create a neutral searchable ledger for a narrow category, such as school desks or streetlights, with source links, contract identifiers, quantities, unit definitions, dates and documented amendments. Show missing data honestly.
03 / THE BLUEPRINT
Start without an app
A recurring article or printed comparison table drawn from official procurement publications can work before an interactive database is justified.
04 / THE BLUEPRINT
Technology that could help
Use structured entries inspired by the Open Contracting Data Standard, with source-document snapshots, reproducible calculation rules and an explicit separation of awarded amount, actual payments and estimated costs.
05 / THE BLUEPRINT
Your first experiment
- Choose one jurisdiction and a low-risk goods category with public contract records.
- Collect only lawfully published tenders, awards and amendments.
- Ask procurement experts to check units, tax and specification differences.
- Publish methodology and invite agencies to correct factual errors.
06 / THE BLUEPRINT
People, resources and cost drivers
Requires records expertise, legal editorial advice, data cleaning and a correction contact. The Open Contracting Data Standard provides fields and methodology: https://www.open-contracting.org/data-standard/
07 / THE BLUEPRINT
What to validate — and when to stop
Review every comparison for unit differences, inflation, delivery terms and missing scope. Remove unsupported accusations and do not infer a crime simply because an award is more expensive.
08 / HYPOTHESIS TO TEST
Potential impact and how to measure it
Measure accurate records recovered, usable comparisons, corrective responses and public access to source material—not alleged fraud amounts.
09 / THE BLUEPRINT
Risks and safeguards
Defamation, retaliation, procurement secrecy laws and false inferences are serious risks. Publish official facts, limit personal details and seek legal review where appropriate.
10 / THE BLUEPRINT
Who might pay or maintain it
Funded by a transparent civic newsroom, audit organisation or public transparency budget, with independent governance and documented retractions where needed.