The Federal Audit Court (TCU) recommended, this Tuesday, the 11th, that the federal government improve the formulation and execution of public policies, after identifying deficiencies in far-reaching social and structural programs. The conclusions are contained in the Inspection Report on Government Policies and Programs (RePP), presented during an event promoted by the Senate Budget Consultancies (Conorf) and the Chamber of Deputies.
According to the TCU, the audit showed “deficiencies in the processes of formulating, implementing and achieving goals and results” in nine public policies inspected:
- Bolsa Família;
- More Doctors;
- Aldir Blanc National Policy (encouragement of culture);
- Regional Integration Routes Strategy (encouragement of production chains);
- Rural Social Security;
- National Road Maintenance Policy;
- Rail Transport Sector Plan;
- National Water Security Plan;
- National Dam Safety Policy.
In 2024, according to the report, these policies represented R$379.1 billion in committed expenses, 95% of which were concentrated in Rural Social Security and Bolsa Família.
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As the Court of Auditors’ RePP pointed out, only 44% of the policies analyzed correctly identified public problems and their causes, and 67% adequately delimited the target audience. On the other hand, 44% did not analyze alternatives to the adopted solution.
The TCU also noted that only 22% of policies presented a clear theory of change, with measurable and realistic objectives. In 78% of cases, the definition of goals and baselines was partial or non-existent.
“This fragility compromises the full measurement of the efficiency, effectiveness and effectiveness of actions, makes it difficult to compare results over time and undermines transparency”, says an excerpt from the report.
In the implementation phase, the TCU positively evaluated the identification of financing sources in the Federal Budget and in the Multi-Year Plan – PPA 2024/2027, met in 78% of policies, in addition to the existence of coordination structures in 56% of cases.
On the other hand, 78% of policies do not have a formal risk management structure and internal controls, which for the department increases vulnerability to failures and deviations. 55% do not have consolidated monitoring and evaluation systems.
The management of human, financial and material resources was considered only partially adequate in 78% of the programs.
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Short-term results were partially achieved in 89% of the policies analyzed, and 56% only partially achieved their goals. In the others, it was not possible to prove the efficacy or effectiveness of the actions.
Among the programs analyzed, Bolsa Família presented flaws in its formulation and implementation, such as the absence of formal criteria to correct inclusion and exclusion errors, outdated diagnosis of poverty, lack of reformulation of objectives and deficiencies in monitoring and evaluation.
In the health sector, Mais Médicos was also identified as problematic due to the lack of evidence to prove the problems diagnosed, lack of clarity in objectives and incomplete indicators.
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In view of the problems found, the TCU imposed 42 recommendations on bodies of the Federal Public Administration, including the ministries of Culture, Social Security, Development and Social Assistance, Health, Mines and Energy, Integration and Regional Development and Transport, in addition to the National Department of Transport Infrastructure (DNIT) and the Interministerial Committee for Dam Safety.
The Court also made a specific determination to the Ministry of Social Security, with the aim of improving the formulation and governance of public policies and allowing the effective measurement of their results.
