Critical interculturality as a tool in state contracting processes: a case study of the Capital District of Bogota (Colombia)

Abstract

This article adopts a qualitative methodological approach focused on a documentary review of the pre-contractual stage of state contracts signed under the direct contracting mechanism in the Capital District of Bogotá between 2018 and 2023, with a special emphasis on those impacting ethnic communities. This study seeks to understand how district entities apply the rating factors of proposals from a perspective that integrates the principles of equality and a differential approach. This analysis, based on regulations such as Law 2160 of 2021 and judicial precedents, highlights mechanisms designed to strengthen the cultural and organizational autonomy of these communities through affirmative action measures and projects that promote their active participation. However, significant challenges persist, such as a lack of cultural sensitivity among state operators, organizational limitations, and the absence of specific criteria in contractual processes, hindering the fulfillment of the State's objectives.