[{"jcr:title":"Insper launches the Observatory on Public Expenditure Quality with a debate on planning, evaluation, and expenditure review","cq:tags_0":"area-de-conhecimento:políticas-públicas","cq:tags_1":"centro-de-conhecimento:centro-de-gest-o-e-pol-ticas-p-blicas","cq:tags_2":"tipos-de-conteudo:acontece-no-insper"},{"richText":"The new initiative, linked to the Center for Public Management & Policy will produce diagnostics, indicators, and proposals to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of public spending in Brazil","authorDate":"13/02/2026 14h37","madeBy":"Por","tag":"area-de-conhecimento:políticas-públicas","title":"Insper launches the Observatory on Public Expenditure Quality with a debate on planning, evaluation, and expenditure review","variant":"imagecolor"},{"jcr:title":"vermelho / preto / amarelo"},{"themeName":"vermelho / botao preto / tag amarelo","backgroundColor":"rgb(229,5,5)"},{"containerType":"containerTwo"},{"jcr:title":"Grid Container Section","layout":"responsiveGrid"},{"text":"With a full auditorium and the participation of public authorities, researchers, public managers, and representatives of international organizations, Insper held the launch event of the Observatory on Public Expenditure Quality (OQGP) on January 30. Linked to the Center for Public Management & Policy (CGPP), the Observatory is dedicated to producing diagnostics, indicators, and proposals aimed at improving the efficiency, effectiveness, and allocation of public spending in Brazil. Held at the Steffi and Max Perlman Auditorium, the event marked the creation of an institutional platform connecting academia, government, and civil society to enhance public management based on evidence. The OQGP is supported by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and funded by the Haddad Foundation. Opening session: planning and institutional collaboration At the opening, Insper leaders and institutional representatives presented the Observatory’s proposal and expectations. Guilherme Martins, President of Insper, emphasized: “We want the OQGP to serve as a bridge between academic education and real impact. Our commitment is to contribute to the country by developing qualified leaders and offering concrete solutions to public management challenges.” Tania Haddad, President of Insper’s Board of Directors, stated that the Observatory “exists to shed light on budgetary choices and contribute to a more efficient and fair State.” Speaking on behalf of the Haddad Foundation, she highlighted the importance of understanding where and how public resources are allocated, whether spending is efficient, and how it can be adjusted to achieve intended goals. Sérgio Lazzarini, Vice President of Academic Affairs at Insper, underscored the role of academia: “We do not define spending priorities, but we can and must provide technical tools and rigorous diagnostics to support better decisions.” Annette Killmer, Head of the IDB Representation in Brazil, addressed the link between expenditure quality and citizenship: “At home, we all know what it means to make choices with scarce resources. The State is no different. That is why sound decisions require data and solid analysis.” Former governor Paulo Hartung shared experiences from the state of Espírito Santo: “We reformed the state and implemented educational policies inspired by Sobral and Pernambuco. And this was financed with resources saved from waste.” Hartung emphasized the importance of a review culture and political humility: “Leadership also means knowing how to replicate what works,” he said. Minister of Planning and Budget Simone Tebet provided a broad analysis of Brazil’s federal budget. Using data, she showed that 92% of resources are already committed to mandatory expenditures, leaving minimal room for maneuver for the Executive branch. “The issue is not only how much we spend, but how we spend it. And worse than spending too much is spending poorly,” she stated. She called for the review of ineffective policies: “We must have the courage to discontinue what does not work. Reviewing is not regression; it is responsibility.” The role of the Observatory: data, evidence, and collaboration Professor Sergio Firpo, Academic Coordinator of the OQGP, presented the six pillars that will guide the Observatory’s work, emphasizing expenditure quality measurement, budget review, and planning instruments. He highlighted the importance of integrating evaluation, budgeting, and political decision-making: “Evaluation without use is just a well-produced PDF. What we want is to influence decisions through data and dialogue.” Firpo explained how technical expertise must support policy: “Technique without politics changes nothing. Politics without technique can make what is already bad even worse.” For him, efficiency lies in systematic evaluation, identifying what works, and having the courage to reprioritize. “Our goal is to provide public managers with tools so that budgetary choices become more rational and fair.” Panel 1: Evaluation as the foundation for sound choices In the first panel, Ricardo Paes de Barros, Professor at Insper and Academic Coordinator of the CGPP, argued that evaluation is a prerequisite for social justice. “If we do not know what works, we risk perpetuating ineffective programs and maintaining inequality,” he observed. He warned against the “politics of good intentions”: “Good will is not enough; results must be demonstrated.” Luciana Braga, President of Fundação João Pinheiro, reported that in Minas Gerais, a culture of evaluation has been consolidated through technical training and institutional structure. “We now have a generation of managers who recognize that evaluating means improving.” She shared the case of an infrastructure secretary who voluntarily requested evaluation of his programs. “He wanted to know whether he was on the right track. That shows maturity,” she said. Rudi Rocha, Professor at FGV EAESP and Research Director at the Institute for Health Policy Studies (IEPS), added that it is necessary to bridge the gap between technical analysis and public management. “Resistance to evaluation remains strong. Many managers see it as external oversight rather than an ally.” For him, the solution lies in co-production: “Evaluation must be conducted with managers, not merely for them.” Gabriela Lacerda, Executive Coordinator of the OQGP and panel moderator, noted that more than 16,000 civil servants registered to voluntarily support the federal government’s evaluation agenda. “This shows that the desire for transformation already exists within the civil service,” she commented. Panel 3: Reviewing to reprioritize The second panel addressed the relationship between budgeting, tax expenditures, and decision-making processes. Ursula Peres, Professor at USP and former Deputy Secretary of Planning, Budget, and Management for the city of São Paulo, stated that budget management must be modernized. “We are still operating with instruments from the last century. Without integrating planning and execution, it is impossible to improve expenditure quality.” She argued that planning must become a recurring cultural practice within budgeting, recalling the principle that “those who execute must plan.” Manoel Pires, Professor at FGV EPPG and Associate Researcher at FGV IBRE, warned that tax expenditures lack transparency: “Subsidies and tax exemptions must undergo the same scrutiny as direct spending.” He also highlighted the growing judicialization of public policies as a source of inefficiency, noting that some court decisions divert resources from their original purposes. He suggested that Congress should take a more active role in reviewing tax benefits. Paulo Bijos, former Federal Budget Secretary and Budget Consultant to the Chamber of Deputies, pointed to the challenges posed by the fragmentation of resources through legislative amendments. “The use of amendments without planning hinders the implementation of structural policies. We need clear rules with transparency and accountability for results,” he said. He also advocated for the “desacralization of mandatory expenditures,” arguing that it is possible to slow their growth by adjusting the criteria that determine their dynamics without violating constitutional principles. Vilma Pinto, Advisor at the Directorate of Economic and Social Affairs in the Office of the Vice President of Brazil and panel moderator, emphasized that “the budget is a concrete expression of political choices.” Making those choices more rational, she argued, is a collective task. “An efficient State is one that listens, measures, and adjusts.” Panel 3: Reviewing to reprioritize The third and final panel addressed expenditure review as a management tool. Wesley Matheus, National Secretary for Monitoring, Evaluation, and Economic Affairs at the Ministry of Planning and Budget, clarified that “reviewing does not mean cutting arbitrarily. It means discovering what can be done better with the same resources.” He stressed that expenditure review is not about cutting rights but about ensuring and expanding them more efficiently. Wesley also emphasized the importance of involving civil society to give legitimacy to reforms. Rita de Cássia Leal Fonseca dos Santos, Budget Consultant to the Federal Senate, argued that review should be a permanent and institutionalized process. “We cannot treat review as an emergency solution. It must become a routine of continuous improvement.” She also highlighted the need to evaluate public policies through gender and racial lenses to ensure that benefits reach those who need them most. Washington Bonfim, Secretary of Planning of the state of Piauí, shared how program review enabled improved results with fewer resources. “Through review, we were able to redirect funds to basic education and preventive healthcare,” he said. He also emphasized the importance of zero-based budgeting as a tool to question inherited spending patterns. Ricardo Capistrano, Deputy Secretary of Budget of the state of Mato Grosso, noted that change requires leadership and communication. “Reviewing expenditures involves challenging interests. That is why clear communication and social engagement are essential,” he said. He added that his state is preparing for the challenges of tax reform by implementing expenditure review methodologies. André Martinez, from the IDB and panel moderator, concluded by emphasizing that “expenditure review is the key to transforming the discourse of efficiency into concrete action.” Commitment to impact In closing, Cristina MacDowell of the IDB highlighted the role of international cooperation in promoting best practices. “The debate on expenditure quality is global. What is at stake is the State’s capacity to deliver results with efficiency and equity,” she stated. Sergio Firpo concluded by reinforcing that the success of the OQGP depends on collaboration among academia, public managers, and civil society. “We want to be a center for listening, for producing evidence, and for proposing solutions — a place where academia contributes to practice and practice feeds back into knowledge,” he said."}]