Organizational units

For some use cases, publishers might need to disclose the organizational units involved in the contracting process, e.g agency branches or divisions.

There is more than one approach to model organizational units in OCDS:

1. Use the fields and blocks available in the Organization building block. This is the preferred approach, when possible.

   • Unit names can be included in the name field alongside the organization name.

   • The additionalIdentifiers array can be used to provide any unit identifiers. It is important to note that identifier and additionalIdentifiers need to point toward the same legal entity. The main identifier ought to belong to the organization and the legalName field can be used to provide the organization name alone.

   • The address and contactPoint blocks can be filled with the unit information.

   • Unit identifiers can also be appended to parties/id.

2. When the first option is not enough to model the publisher's case, use or create an extension. Any additional fields can be placed in the details section of the Organization building block.

Some publishers use the memberOf extension to represent organization hierarchies, including organizational units. This is strongly discouraged unless there is a clear use case to support it, because OCDS is not designed to disclose hierarchical organization information. Ideally, organizational hierarchies would be represented in separate, non-OCDS datasets, and organizational units would be modelled using one of the alternatives described above.

Worked examples

1. Using the Organization building block

In Honduras, the Ministry of Health is planning the procurement of food supplies for the San Felipe Hospital. For the purposes of the example, San Felipe Hospital is considered to be a unit belonging to the Ministry of Health, and it is not a legal entity of its own.

In the release below, the publisher adds the hospital name at the end of the procuring entity name. The main identifier for the organization (Secretaría de Salud Pública) is extracted from a local list in the "HonduCompras" platform, used to publish procurement information in the country.

An identifier for the hospital has been added using the "HN-ONCAE-UNIT" list code. The address and contactPoint information belongs to the hospital only.

{
    "uri": "https://standard.open-contracting.org/examples/release/ocds-lcuori-4LOxWG-139-2011-1",
    "version": "1.1",
    "publishedDate": "2011-02-23T12:59:31.133000-06:00",
    "publisher": {
        "name": "Oficina Normativa de Contrataci\u00f3n y Adquisiciones del Estado (ONCAE) / Honduras"
    },
    "license": "http://opendatacommons.org/licenses/pddl/1.0/",
    "publicationPolicy": "https://www.contrataciones.gov.py/datos/legal",
    "releases": [
        {
            "date": "2011-02-23T12:59:31.133000-06:00",
            "language": "es",
            "ocid": "ocds-lcuori-4LOxWG-139-2011-1",
            "initiationType": "tender",
            "tag": [
                "planning"
            ],
            "parties": [
                {
                    "name": "Secretar\u00eda de Salud P\u00fablica - Hospital San Felipe",
                    "roles": [
                        "buyer",
                        "procuringEntity"
                    ],
                    "address": {
                        "region": "Francisco Morazan",
                        "streetAddress": "Ave. Los Proceseres",
                        "locality": "Tegucigalpa",
                        "countryName": "Honduras"
                    },
                    "contactPoint": {
                        "telephone": "236-5786",
                        "name": "Dr. Arnoldo Zelaya Rodr\u00edguez",
                        "faxNumber": "236-5786"
                    },
                    "identifier": {
                        "scheme": "HN-ONCAE-H1",
                        "id": "10001",
                        "legalName": "Secretar\u00eda de Salud P\u00fablica"
                    },
                    "additionalIdentifiers": [
                        {
                            "scheme": "HN-ONCAE-UNIT",
                            "id": "102",
                            "legalName": "Hospital San Felipe"
                        }
                    ],
                    "id": "HN-ONCAE-H1-10001"
                }
            ],
            "buyer": {
                "id": "HN-ONCAE-H1-10001",
                "name": "Secretar\u00eda de Salud P\u00fablica - Hospital San Felipe"
            },
            "tender": {
                "status": "planned",
                "description": "SOLICITADO POR LA BODEGA DE VIVERES, PARA SER UTILIZADO EN LA ALIMENTACION DE PACIENTES INTERNOS Y EMPLEADOS DE ESTE CENTRO ASISTENCIAL, DURANTE EL 4to. TRIMESTRE DEL 2019",
                "tenderPeriod": {
                    "startDate": "2011-02-23T12:59:00-06:00",
                    "endDate": "2011-02-28T12:59:00-06:00"
                },
                "title": "139-2011",
                "items": [
                    {
                        "quantity": 150,
                        "description": "Huevos de gallina (cartones de 30 unidades)",
                        "classification": {
                            "scheme": "UNSPSC",
                            "id": "50131606",
                            "description": "Huevos frescos"
                        },
                        "id": "1"
                    }
                ],
                "enquiryPeriod": {
                    "startDate": "2011-02-23T12:59:00-06:00",
                    "endDate": "2011-02-28T12:59:00-06:00"
                },
                "procuringEntity": {
                    "id": "HN-ONCAE-H1-10001",
                    "name": "Secretar\u00eda de Salud P\u00fablica - Hospital San Felipe"
                },
                "procurementMethod": "open",
                "procurementMethodDetails": "Compra Menor",
                "id": "4LOxWG-139-2011-1"
            },
            "id": "ocds-lcuori-4LOxWG-139-2011-1/2"
        }
    ]
}

2. Defining a new Extension

In Moldova, the national procurement agency needs to include a division code for particular organizations. Since divisions can be separate legal entities in some cases, the publisher chooses to use the identifier block to point to the main organization for all cases, and use an additional field to provide the division code that enables data users to locate the departments and branches involved.

In the release below, a branch of the Bank of Moldova announces a contract opportunity for the provision of consumables for electrical appliances.

{
    "uri": "https://standard.open-contracting.org/release/ocds-b3wdp1-MD-1539840280133-1539840280205",
    "version": "1.1",
    "extensions": [
        "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/open-contracting-extensions/ocds_budget_breakdown_extension/master/extension.json",
        "https://standard.open-contracting.org/examples/extensions/ocds_divisionCode_extension/extension.json"
    ],
    "publisher": {
        "name": "M-Tender"
    },
    "license": "http://opendefinition.org/licenses/",
    "publicationPolicy": "https://standard.open-contracting.org/examples/publicationPolicy/",
    "publishedDate": "2018-10-18T05:24:39Z",
    "releases": [
        {
            "ocid": "ocds-b3wdp1-MD-1539840280133",
            "id": "ocds-b3wdp1-MD-1539840280133-1539840280205",
            "date": "2018-10-18T05:24:39Z",
            "tag": [
                "tender"
            ],
            "initiationType": "tender",
            "tender": {
                "id": "ocds-b3wdp1-MD-1539840280133",
                "title": "Piese consumabile pentru aparatele multifunc\u021bionale",
                "description": "Livrarea timp de 30 zile",
                "status": "active",
                "value": {
                    "amount": 1400000.0,
                    "currency": "MDL"
                },
                "procurementMethod": "open",
                "mainProcurementCategory": "goods",
                "hasEnquiries": false,
                "eligibilityCriteria": "Regulile generale privind na\u021bionalitatea \u0219i originea, precum \u0219i alte criterii de eligibilitate sunt enumerate \u00een Ghidul practic privind procedurile de contractare a ac\u021biunilor externe ale UE (PRAG)",
                "procuringEntity": {
                    "name": "National Bank of Moldova - Chi\u015fin\u0103u Branch",
                    "id": "MD-IDNO-1006601001182"
                },
                "items": [
                    {
                        "id": "1",
                        "description": "Piese consumabile pentru aparatele multifunc\u021bionale",
                        "classification": {
                            "scheme": "CPV",
                            "id": "30100000-0",
                            "description": "Ma\u015fini, echipament \u015fi accesorii de birou, cu excep\u0163ia computerelor, a imprimantelor \u015fi a mobilierului"
                        }
                    }
                ]
            },
            "buyer": {
                "id": "MD-IDNO-1006601001182",
                "name": "National Bank of Moldova - Chi\u015fin\u0103u Branch"
            },
            "parties": [
                {
                    "id": "MD-IDNO-1006601001182",
                    "name": "National Bank of Moldova - Chi\u015fin\u0103u Branch",
                    "identifier": {
                        "scheme": "MD-IDNO",
                        "id": "1006601001182",
                        "legalName": "National Bank of Moldova"
                    },
                    "address": {
                        "streetAddress": "1 Grigore Vieru Avenue",
                        "locality": "Chi\u015fin\u0103u",
                        "region": "Chi\u015fin\u0103u",
                        "postalCode": "MD 2005",
                        "countryName": "Moldova"
                    },
                    "contactPoint": {
                        "email": "official@bnm.md",
                        "telephone": "+373 22 822 606"
                    },
                    "roles": [
                        "payer",
                        "procuringEntity",
                        "funder",
                        "buyer"
                    ],
                    "details": {
                        "divisionCode": "101"
                    }
                }
            ]
        }
    ]
}

{
    "name": {
        "en": "Division codes"
    },
    "description": {
        "en": "Adds a divisionCode field to the Organization building block"
    },
    "documentationUrl": {
        "en": "http://github.com/example_publisher/ocds_division_code_extension"
    },
    "schemas": [
        "release-schema.json"
    ],
    "compatibility": [
        "1.1"
    ]
}

{
    "definitions": {
        "Organization": {
            "properties": {
                "details": {
                    "properties": {
                        "divisionCode": {
                            "title": "Division code",
                            "description": "This field allows to provide a identifier for an organization's division or department involved in the contracting process. ",
                            "type": [
                                "string",
                                "null"
                            ]
                        }
                    }
                }
            }
        }
    }
}

The branch name (Chişinău Branch) is appended at the end of the name of the procuring entity. A new extension called "Division code" has been defined to add the divisionCode field in the parties/details section. The branch code in the example is "101".

The extension.json and release-schema.json files for the Division code extension can be displayed using the combo box above the JSON example. Instructions on how to create an OCDS extension can be found here.

3. Using the Organization building block with an organizational hierarchy

The Hospital de Clínicas is planning to procure supplies for their Blood Center. The Hospital is part of the Medical School in the National University of Asuncion. Since the hospital is key in the provision of healthcare for low income groups in the community, it is in the interest of many to clearly identify the procurement of the Hospital only. It is also important for the publisher that users can group the data following organizational hierarchies.

It is important to note that OCDS ought to not be used to publish organizational hierarchies unless there is a strong case to support it. Organizational hierarchies can be disclosed in additional datasets. Publishers can refer to the W3C Organization Ontology to design a hierarchy-oriented dataset.

The release below shows how the publisher chooses to model the hospital as an organizational unit of the Medical School (Facultad de Ciencias Médicas). The source systems collect the name of the organizational unit only, and this is appended to the organization name.

{
    "uri": "https://standard.open-contracting.org/examples/release/ocds-03ad3f-373449-1/1",
    "publishedDate": "2019-12-05T12:36:58-04:00",
    "publisher": {
        "name": "Direcci\u00f3n Nacional de Contrataciones P\u00fablicas, Paraguay"
    },
    "license": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
    "publicationPolicy": "https://standard.open-contracting.org/examples/publicationPolicy/",
    "version": "1.1",
    "releases": [
        {
            "language": "es",
            "ocid": "ocds-03ad3f-373449-1",
            "id": "ocds-03ad3f-373449-1/1",
            "date": "2019-12-05T12:36:58-04:00",
            "initiationType": "tender",
            "tag": [
                "planning"
            ],
            "buyer": {
                "id": "PY-RUC-80001180-5",
                "name": "Facultad de Ciencias M\u00e9dicas - Hospital de Cl\u00ednicas"
            },
            "parties": [
                {
                    "id": "PY-RUC-80001180-5",
                    "name": "Facultad de Ciencias M\u00e9dicas - Hospital de Cl\u00ednicas",
                    "identifier": {
                        "scheme": "PY-RUC",
                        "id": "80001180-5",
                        "legalName": "FACULTAD DE CIENCIAS MEDICAS"
                    },
                    "roles": [
                        "buyer",
                        "procuringEntity",
                        "payer"
                    ],
                    "address": {
                        "streetAddress": "AVDA. MCAL LOPEZ ESQ. CORONEL CAZAL",
                        "locality": "San Lorenzo",
                        "region": "Central",
                        "countryName": "Paraguay"
                    },
                    "contactPoint": {
                        "name": "LIC. LIZ RAQUEL DUARTE QUINTANA",
                        "telephone": "+595 21 683.930 INT. 102",
                        "email": "uoc@med.una.py"
                    }
                }
            ],
            "planning": {
                "budget": {
                    "description": "Nombre de la Licitaci\u00f3n ADQUISICION DE REACTIVOS E INSUMOS DE HEMOCENTRO Y UMT DEL HOSPITAL DE CLINICAS ? AD RERENDUM PRESUPUESTO 2020",
                    "amount": {
                        "currency": "PYG",
                        "amount": 950000000
                    }
                }
            },
            "tender": {
                "id": "359402",
                "description": "ADQUISICION DE REACTIVOS E INSUMOS DE HEMOCENTRO Y UMT DEL HOSPITAL DE CLINICAS ? AD RERENDUM PRESUPUESTO 2020",
                "status": "planned",
                "procurementMethod": "open",
                "mainProcurementCategory": "goods",
                "procuringEntity": {
                    "id": "PY-RUC-80001180-5",
                    "name": "Facultad de Ciencias M\u00e9dicas - Hospital de Cl\u00ednicas"
                },
                "value": {
                    "amount": 895351000,
                    "currency": "PYG"
                },
                "tenderPeriod": {
                    "startDate": "2019-01-13T08:00:00-04:00",
                    "endDate": "2019-01-28T11:00:00-04:00"
                },
                "items": [
                    {
                        "id": "41116105",
                        "description": "Anti A Monoclonal",
                        "quantity": 110,
                        "unit": {
                            "name": "Unidad",
                            "value": {
                                "amount": 44100,
                                "currency": "PYG"
                            }
                        },
                        "classification": {
                            "scheme": "UNSPSC",
                            "id": "41116105",
                            "description": "Reactivos o soluciones quimicos"
                        }
                    },
                    {
                        "id": "41116002",
                        "description": "REACTIVO PARA HIV",
                        "quantity": 11500,
                        "unit": {
                            "name": "Unidad",
                            "value": {
                                "amount": 27000,
                                "currency": "PYG"
                            }
                        },
                        "classification": {
                            "scheme": "UNSPSC",
                            "id": "41116002",
                            "description": "Reactivo para HIV"
                        }
                    },
                    {
                        "id": "42222308",
                        "description": "Bolsa colectora de sangre",
                        "quantity": 2000,
                        "unit": {
                            "name": "Unidad",
                            "value": {
                                "amount": 290000,
                                "currency": "PYG"
                            }
                        },
                        "classification": {
                            "scheme": "UNSPSC",
                            "id": "42222308",
                            "description": "Bolsa colectora de sangre"
                        }
                    }
                ]
            }
        }
    ]
}

In a separate dataset, the publisher discloses the organizational hierarchy. This dataset, in combination with the OCDS publication, would allow users to summarize contracting information. The table below shows an extract of the dataset.

organizationId	organizationName	isSubOrganizationOf
80005563-2	Universidad Nacional de Asunción
80001180-5	Facultad de Ciencias Médicas	80005563-2
80007577-3	Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias	80005563-2
80022761-1	Facultad de Ingeniería	80005563-2