Did you know that the Estatuto General traces today’s rules back to Law 80 of 1993, which still shapes how millions in public funds are awarded?
I help providers, consultants, and entidades estatales cut through red tape so they win fair, compliant awards. I map your needs to the five official selection types and align your internal gestión with the statute.
My approach focuses on speed, legal certainty, and clear records. I design roadmaps that make selection criteria visible and reduce risks in procesos and contratos.
I also build sanction-prevention controls and coach teams on calendars, submissions, and post-award duties. That way, your proposal meets evaluators’ expectations and stays audit-ready.
Key Takeaways
- I translate complex rules into step-by-step strategies for faster, lawful selection results.
- Compliance starts with aligned gestión and clear documentation from day one.
- Law 80 of 1993 still matters; I show how it and later reforms affect your offer.
- Objective selection factors must be set early to avoid disputes and sanctions.
- I provide templates, checkpoints, and on-site coaching to keep procesos on track.
How I help you navigate contratación pública in Colombia today
I translate legal requirements into practical tasks so your team can compete confidently in state procurement.
Who I guide: providers, consultants, and entidades estatales
I work directly with proveedores and consultants to read the market, pick the right path, and price offers with a clear valor justification.
I also advise entidades on pliegos, objective criteria, and realistic schedules that protect competition and traceable ejecución.
What you gain: compliance, speed, and selection success
- I deliver advisory servicios that align operations with legal rules for contratación estatal and reduce audit risk.
- I assess whether to bid, partner, or skip a proceso so every effort aims for real selection advantage.
- I build submission workplans, review equipo and references, and train teams to handle clarifications in contratación pública colombia.
- I set controls to prevent sanction exposure and support the transition from award to ejecución.
Understanding the legal backbone: Ley 80 de 1993, Ley 1150 de 2007, Ley 1474 de 2011
I ensure legal rules become predictable tasks so teams avoid classification errors and sanctions.
Law 80 of 1993 sets the general rule: Licitación Pública under artículo 30 and objective selection in artículo 29. I translate those articles into plain steps that align planning, docs, and scoring with transparency and fair competition.
Ley 1150 de 2007 narrowed exceptions. It lists taxative cases for contratación directa and defines when selección abreviada is lawful. I review each case so your procesos and contratos meet the statute, not an ad hoc practice.
Ley 1474 de 2011 regulates Mínima Cuantía and fixes the 10% menor cuantía cap. I apply that threshold to bids, ensuring a public, verifiable process with open participation and audit-ready records.
- I map each ley to checklist items for entidades estatales and personas who prepare offers.
- I test planned paths against taxative exceptions to prevent misclassification and sanctions.
- I keep a live compliance matrix tied to articles and standards so selection decisions hold up in review.
For a deeper primer on the legal framework and my practical approach, see my contratación estatal overview.
Modalidades de selección at a glance: the official paths to contract
I assess scope and market options to pick the safest, most competitive selection route for your project. I match objectives, value, and market plurality so you choose the correct path before drafting terms.
Licitación Pública as the general rule
Licitación pública remains the default when wide competition fits the scope and value of bienes and servicios.
Selección Abreviada for simplified cases
Selección abreviada applies to técnicas uniformes, menor cuantía events, and other scenarios set by law for faster acquisition.
Concurso de Méritos for consulting and interventoría
Concurso méritos prioritizes technical quality, using open or prequalification routes for specialist teams.
Mínima Cuantía and purchases via Tienda Virtual
Mínima cuantía suits quick buys under the 10% cap, including agile compras a través de Grandes Superficies on the Tienda Virtual.
Contratación Directa in taxative scenarios
Contratación directa is limited to the taxative cases in Law 1150; I document facts and market checks to justify use.
- I benchmark your need against each selection option to ensure lawful alignment.
- I draft matrices linking legal criteria to your evaluation plan for clearer award decisions on contratos.
- I set compliance controls to reduce exposure to objections, inquiries, and sanctions.
Learn more about the official selection and how I apply them in practice.
How-to roadmap: choosing the right modalidad step by step
I walk teams through a clear, step-by-step roadmap that ties project scope to the correct legal selection path. First, I define the objeto and set a realistic cuantía. That decision already narrows the lawful route.
Defining objeto, cuantía, and market plurality
I start by drafting a precise objeto and estimating the valor range. Then I test supplier plurality so the proceso is feasible.
Matching needs to law and guidance
I map your need to the right option using guidance from colombia compra eficiente and my checklists. This prevents misclassification and avoids improper shortcuts like an unsupported contratación route.
Planning evaluation for selección objetiva
I design objective scoring: factors, weights, and pre-closing checks that match the entidad’s risk profile. I include mínima cuantía thresholds where relevant and templates that leave an audit trail.
- I set timelines, risk controls, and approvals so entidades keep the proceso auditable and on schedule.
- I add supplier Q&A, site visits, and evidence collection to reduce objections and sanction exposure.
Licitación pública: when and how I structure your winning process
I design licitación pública roadmaps that turn legal requirements into clear steps for winning awards. I start from artículo 30 of Law 80 of 1993 and build pliegos that invite fair competition while protecting the entidad’s interests.
My approach guarantees that selection factors are fixed before closing, as article 29 requires. That keeps evaluation objective and defensible.
Designing pliegos and evaluation aligned with artículo 30, Ley 80
I craft pliegos that balance technical, administrative, and financial criteria so bienes and services attract real market responses. I align requirements with supplier capacity to cut formal disqualifications.
Preparing competitive offers with objective scoring
I build evaluation matrices that weight quality, price, and risk. I coach providers to document experience and capacity so a proveedor’s strengths convert into scoreable evidence.
- I manage clarifications and addenda to keep equal treatment for all bidders and the entidad.
- I review price, unit costs, and contingencies so offers remain sustainable after award.
- I set internal procesos for signatures, guarantees, and version control to avoid avoidable rejections.
| Stage | Key Action | Benefit |
|---|---|---|
| Pliego drafting | Map article 30 criteria; clear requirements | Defensible, competitive terms |
| Evaluation design | Objective matrix with weights | Transparent, score-based selection |
| Bid support | Coach evidence and price review | Higher scoring, sustainable offers |
| Post-award plan | Contract start-up and mobilization | Faster compliance and lower risk |
Selección Abreviada: using simplified routes without risks
I guide entities and bidders through simplified procurement paths to secure lawful, efficient results.
Selección abreviada applies in defined cases and can speed compras when used correctly.
Técnicas uniformes and common-use goods and services
I confirm whether the object is a set of técnicas uniformes or standard bienes and servicios. I document the legal basis line by line so the chosen route rests on clear facts.
When menor cuantía fits versus mínima cuantía
I distinguish menor cuantía from the entidad’s mínima cuantía. That way the selected procedimiento matches thresholds and avoids misclassification that triggers sanctions.
Healthcare, defense, and procesos declared deserted
I structure special-sector purchases—healthcare, defensa y seguridad—so they respect legal protections while keeping transparency where allowed.
I also prepare fallback plans for procesos declared deserted, transitioning to selección abreviada without compromising legality.
- I test fit against ley 1150 and other references, recording the reasons for the simple route.
- I set proportional invitations, evidence checks, and calendars so compras remain timely and well documented.
- I coach suppliers on tailoring offers for uniform goods and services and verify post-award performance to prevent objections.
Concurso de Méritos: securing consulting and interventoría engagements
I advise teams competing for consulting and supervision contracts so technical quality wins the day. This process must make merit measurable and defensible under the Estatuto General.
Open vs. prequalification pathways
Choosing open or prequalification
I help decide the path based on market depth, timeline, and technical complexity. An open route widens competition. Prequalification filters for capable teams when the field lacks plurality.
Building a technical proposal that prevails on merit
I structure proposals to match the scoring matrix. I highlight methods, team personas, past performance, and realistic schedules.
- I align service scopes so cuantía reflects real effort and verifiable outputs.
- I verify risk allocation in contratos to protect quality and enforceability.
- I harmonize admin documents with technical content to avoid form-based disqualifications.
| Decision | Why it matters | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Path selection | Market and time | Better competition |
| Proposal focus | Methods and team | Higher technical score |
| Contract design | Risk and deliverables | Assured ejecución |
I bind each requirement to applicable modalidades selección rules so entities and firms meet transparency and sanction-prevention goals.
Mínima Cuantía: fast, public, and transparent acquisition
I streamline small-value purchases so your team moves fast without legal exposure.
Mínima cuantía applies when the valor of a purchase does not exceed 10% of an entidad’s menor cuantía, as regulated by ley 1474 2011. The rule moved the process from three private quotes to an open, public procedimiento where all interested parties can participate.
I set up clear invitations, simple verification steps, and tight timelines to make these compras swift and audit-ready. I also help use Grandes Superficies via the Tienda Virtual del Estado for eligible bienes when the purchase fits the threshold.
- I confirm the entidad’s menor cuantía and validate the 10% cap to avoid split purchases.
- I design evaluation to pick the lowest compliant offer while protecting quality.
- I document every step to prevent objections and sanction risk under ley 1474.
| Action | Why it matters | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Threshold check | Verify fit under 1474 2011 | Lawful use of the modality |
| Transparent invitation | Open participation via colombia compra channels | Competitive pricing |
| Evidence trail | Public records of selection | Lower sanction risk |
Contratación Directa: applying the exceptions correctly
When urgency or uniqueness leaves no other route, I document the legal basis so the decision holds up.
I only endorse direct award after a strict test of facts and law. The rule in 1150 2007 limits direct award to taxative events. These include urgencia manifiesta, interadministrative agreements, reserved defense purchases, scientific tasks, fiduciary arrangements, lack of plurality, certain prestación servicios, and contracts with indigenous or Afro-Colombian organizations.
I build a dossier that cites ley 1150 and records immediacy, causation, and proportionality for urgencia manifiesta. I limit scope to truly urgent needs and document alternatives considered.
- I verify market studies to prove absence of plurality before using the exception.
- I draft interadministrative and prestación servicios contracts to show uniqueness and value for money.
- I prepare reasoned decisions, legal concepts, and approvals to withstand audits and reviews.
I also design balanced contratos that allocate exception-specific risks and protect public bienes. After award, I run an after-action review so direct award remains exceptional, not routine.
| Exception | Key evidence | Control I add |
|---|---|---|
| Urgencia manifiesta | Timeline, cause, unavailable alternatives | Proportional scope; documented approvals |
| Lack of plurality | Market study, supplier search | Market report and third-party verification |
| Prestación servicios (unique) | Capability proof, past work, exclusivity | Performance guarantees and clear deliverables |
| Interadministrative | Legal mandate, mutual benefit evidence | Signed protocol and audit clauses |
Selección objetiva: designing criteria that comply and win
I set clear, measurable rules so evaluation committees judge offers by facts, not impressions. Article 29 of law 1993 requires factors to be fixed before closing. I make that rule practical and audit-ready.
From factors set pre-closing to objective evaluation
I translate artículo 29 into scoreable items: deliverables, timelines, warranties, and risk controls. Each factor gets a weight that links to performance and price.
I calibrate thresholds by cuantía so small-value processes attract competition while preserving standards for complex bienes and servicios.
Avoiding subjective biases and ensuring transparency
I design scoring guides with evidence requirements so every proveedor is rated the same way. Evaluators get checklists and templates for deliberation minutes.
I crosswalk criteria to ley 1150 and other reglamentation to strengthen legal solidity. I also train committees to manage conflicts of interest and document reasoning during the proceso.
- I structure clarifications that inform but do not change substantive offers.
- I implement version control and audit trails for all forms, scores, and reports.
- I run post-award reviews and update the criteria for future use while keeping lawful consistency across each modalidad.
| Action | Why it matters | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-set factors | Comply with artículo 29 | Defensible awards |
| Calibrated thresholds | Match cuantía and market | Improved competition |
| Audit records | Demonstrate transparency | Lower sanction risk |
Advisory on sanctioning processes: prevention and defense
I design practical strategies that reduce sanction exposure across planning, award, and ejecución stages. My goal is to keep your files clean and defensible so oversight reviews do not become crises.
Common causes of sanctions in state procurement
Sanctions often arise from misclassification of the selection path, opaque criteria, conflicts of interest, and missing documentation. I identify these triggers early and map real fixes.
Compliance programs to mitigate risk across procesos
I build tailored compliance programs that embed controls into gestión from project design to award. I set document retention rules and audit trails for contratos so facts and dates are indisputable.
My support in responses, pruebas, and procedural strategy
I prepare responses to oversight bodies, structure pruebas, and craft procedural strategy. I also train personas and entidades estatales on disclosure, impartiality, and timelines.
- I assess prestación servicios engagements for independence and fair remuneration.
- I run mock audits and create corrective action plans that fix root causes.
- I build litigation-ready files while seeking amicable remedies.
For tactical guidance on breaches and post-award defense, see my how to address breaches primer.
Conclusion
, I guide organizations from market analysis to contract closeout so every step meets legal and performance goals. My work ties Law 80 de 1993 and its artículo mandates to clear, executable plans.
I help choose the right modalidad—licitación pública, concurso méritos, mínima cuantía or direct award—based on facts and thresholds. I also use guidance from colombia compra eficiente to promote compra eficiente and stronger market engagement.
I embed sanction prevention across planning, award, and contract management so your files stay defensible. If you want an assessment and a practical roadmap, contact me through my page on contratación estatal Bogotá.