REGISTRATION REGULARITY, TIME AND EFFICIENCY: THE INVISIBLE COSTS OF BUDGET IMPLEMENTATION

Abstract

This chapter analyzes the effects of supplier registration improprieties on the efficiency of budget execution, taking as a reference the experience of the Federal University of Agreste de Pernambuco (UFAPE) in the year 2025. The research shows that pending issues related to the Unified Supplier Registration System (SICAF) and fiscal regularity certificates, although they may appear to be merely documentary, cause interruptions, rework and additional consumption of administrative workforce time. Of the 352 contracting processes analyzed, 138 (39.20%) presented at least one impropriety, with a predominance of expired SICAF, responsible for 53.63% of occurrences. To make this temporal dimension measurable, the chapter discusses the Administrative Downtime Time (TPA), an indicator that represents the interval between the identification of the pending issue and the issuance of the commitment after its regularization. The results showed an average TPA of 25 days for absent SICAF, 15 days for expired SICAF and 10 days for pending state or municipal CND, with an overall weighted average of approximately 14.8 days. The analysis demonstrates that the formal conclusion of the process does not necessarily mean that its trajectory has been efficient, as repeated consultations, due diligence, reanalysis and reorganization of activities represent hidden administrative costs and opportunity costs for the Administration. The chapter therefore proposes a preventive approach based on risk management, management indicators, supplier education and systematic monitoring of occurrences. It is concluded that administrative time must also be understood as a public resource, the measurement of which can contribute to governance, institutional learning and the continuous improvement of budget execution processes.