We are delighted that a tailored High Level Reporting Mechanism will be established for the construction of the first line of the Bogotá Metro. The HRLM will allow complaints related to possible acts of corruption to be analysed rapidly and dealt with pragmatically and transparently. 

Developed by the Basel Institute on Governance, OECD and Transparency International, the HLRM is designed to meet private sector demands for a fast, independent and effective mechanism to address bribe solicitation by public officials. The concept is supported by the G20 and B20 business leaders around the world. 

Colombia developed the very first HLRM in 2013 to ensure a smooth and fair tender process for the national 4G road infrastructure project. Since then, Colombia has implemented similar mechanisms to cover concession contracts for Ernesto Cortissoz International Airport and procurement for all high-value projects by the National Infrastructure Agency.

For more information on the HLRM and its success as an anti-corruption measure in Colombia, Argentina, Ukraine and Panama, see our HLRM information pages.

HLRM for the Bogotá Metro

The Metro de Bogotá website describes the new HLRM as follows (English translation):

What is the purpose of the HLRM?

The purpose of the HLRM will be to promote the integrity and transparency of the Bogotá Metro First Line Project. The HLRM will be designed to enable the rapid analysis of complaints related to acts of corruption, generating early warnings and a pragmatic and transparent response on the part of the government without prejudice to the competencies of the competent authorities. It will guarantee the transparency of contractual processes and allow interactions between public and private stakeholders to take place without problems.

How does the HLRM work?

The HLRM consists of a Committee of Experts. They are responsible for receiving complaints involving operational, legal, financial and any other type of risks related to the tender processes. Based on an analysis of these complaints, the Committee provides recommendations on how the authorities should act in order to protect the contractual process for which it is being implemented. 

For the particular case of the HLRM for the First Line of the Bogotá Metro, this Committee will analyse potential complaints that arise during the tender processes and recommend actions to the Secretariat of Transparency and the District Supervisory Office of Bogotá, and subsequently the legal representative of the Empresa Metro de Bogotá (Bogota Metro Company).

In accordance with the protocol for the implementation of the HLRM, from January 3 to January 11, 2019, Metro de Bogotá published the CVs of the candidates who will form part of the Committee of Experts for the implementation of the HLRM.  

*We thank citizens for their participation and for sending comments on the CVs of the candidates who will potentially form part of the HLRM Committee of Experts to contactenos@metrodebogota.gov.co. Six comments have been received. These are being analysed by Empresa Metro de Bogotá S.A., the District Office and the Secretary of Transparency of the Presidency, to give an answer.