The General Audit’s Office said that for purchases and contracts conducted by the Central Bank of Argentina (BCRA, for its acronym in Spanish) in 2010 "there was a significant reduction in the form of competitive bidding and increased participation in other ways, especially by Direct Contracting". Specifically, although in 2009 the agency spent more money, direct recruitment contracts the following year increased by 17%, an equivalent to $59 million.

This form of contract is not the most common, since it is only used for small expenses, "those that do not exceed $10,000, for reasons duly substantiated or in case of emergency operations in which authorities decide it must be kept reserved".

To this situation we must also add that "while there is a supplier listing, we could not verify that they are qualified." In fact, the report notes that "sanctions are recorded on a spreadsheet that is not integrated with the registration of providers, so those who were punished may be invited to new tenders." The watchdog said it "does not have evidence that the Fines Committee, which analyzes and determines the penalties to apply to those who breached contract terms, has worked, or even organized meetings, or made any type of decision."

The AGN also noted in its report that "there is no software that records and manages the purchases and contracts and, in turn, that is integrated with the system of budgetary and accounting entries." Nor is there a manual of procedures for contracts, although, according to the report approved in September 2010, "other instructions on specific issues were detected, for example in the process for publications in printed media."

Within the different departments of the Central Bank there isn’t a "uniform methodology to estimate the prices of goods or services for contracting." Parallel to this, the auditors indicated that "in the Condition of Contracts it is not specified what the minimum necessary documentation in the files should be".

Also recorded are the "delays in the incorporation of the copy of the contracting receipt" and in some cases where this documentation was presented, they still had problems such as a missing number or date, “among other issues”.  

The auditors could not find any evidence that within the BCRA they would find "cost-cutting solutions" or "the higher levels of the agency would take action to improve the timing and use of resources", although the Bank's Internal Audit recommended they "improve" this point.