On October 29, Panama hosted a significant event in the field of public and private procurement: the National Congress on Public and Private Procurement 2024. As a country in constant growth and development, Panama faces important challenges in managing these processes, and this congress provided a valuable opportunity to address those challenges.

The congress brought together distinguished experts, government officials, and industry leaders to discuss best practices, innovations, and current challenges in this crucial sector. It featured the participation of key personalities and public sector officials, including:

• Licda. Anabelle Padilla, representing the Office of the Comptroller General of the Republic
• Lic. Luis Mariscal, representing the General Directorate of Public Procurement
• Lic. Jorge Fernández, representing the Panama Canal Authority
• Licda. Dalida Lasso, representing the Social Security Fund

One of the highlights of the event was the presentation by our lawyer, Alexs Sugasty, who represented our firm, Quijano & Associates. His presentation, titled “General Overview of Public Procurement with a Focus on Construction,” addressed essential aspects such as:

• Requirements and special figures within public procurement
• Stages or phases of the procurement process
• Economic balance of the contract
• Economic recognition / contractual balance

We thank the Concop team for the excellent organization of this great event and for considering us as sponsors. This congress marked an important step toward improving practices in public and private procurement in our country.

We hope this gathering generated valuable discussions and connections that benefit the development of Panama. Thank you to everyone who took part in this unique event!