“USO INCORRECTO DEL CLASIFICADOR CENTRAL DE PRODUCTOS: RIESGO DE DIRECCIONAMIENTO Y RESTRICCIÓN DE LA
CONCURRENCIA EN LA CONTRATACIÓN PÚBLICA ECUATORIANA”
preventivo, el CPC puede constituir un factor de riesgo de acceso desigual al mercado. Se
propone un modelo de control con validación semántica asistida, interoperabilidad entre RUC,
RUP y CPC, y alertas tempranas de riesgo.
Palabras clave: Contratación pública, Clasificador Central de Productos, control preventivo,
concurrencia,
transparencia,
RUP,
procesos
de
contratación,
objeto
contractual,
direccionamiento
ABSTRACT: The Central Product Classification (CPC) links, within Ecuador's National Public
Procurement System, institutional needs with annual planning, the procurement object, the
supplier universe, and procedural traceability. Problems arise when the selected code does not
correspond to the object procured, differs between the Annual Procurement Plan and the
tender documents, or is adjusted to a supplier's registered economic activity. This study
analyzed the technical-legal relationship between these irregularities and the risks of
procurement steering or restricted competition. A mixed, predominantly qualitative
documentary approach was applied, with a non-experimental, cross-sectional, retrospective
design and a descriptive-explanatory scope. The non-probabilistic purposive sample comprised
ten State Comptroller General reports (2016-2023) containing specific CPC-related findings,
coded with five dichotomous indicators and analyzed through descriptive statistics and
indicator co-occurrence. Risk of or impact on competition was documented in 80% of the
reports; distortion of the procedure or the market in 70%; CPC-object or budget mismatch in
50%; supplier-activity incompatibility in 30%; and documentary inconsistencies in 20%. A CPC-
object mismatch coincided with procedural distortion in all five reports where it appeared. In
one case, the alternative category displayed 2,778 suppliers versus 1,286 under the code used,
a difference that neither equals effective bidders nor proves intent. The results describe the
sample only. The study concludes that, without technical justification, traceability, and
preventive controls, the CPC may become a risk factor for unequal market access. A control
model is proposed, comprising assisted semantic validation, interoperability among the RUC,
RUP, and CPC, and early risk alerts.
Keywords: Public procurement, Central Product Classification, preventive control, competition,
transparency, RUP, procurement procedures, procurement object, steering risk
INTRODUCCIÓN
La contratación pública en Ecuador representa una parte significativa de la actividad
administrativa del Estado, al permitir la adquisición de fármacos, alimentos, equipos, tecnología,
obras, consultorías y servicios necesarios para ejecutar políticas públicas y objetivos de desarrollo.
Debido a que estas adquisiciones comprometen recursos públicos y abren oportunidades
económicas para los proveedores, los procedimientos deben estructurarse bajo reglas que
garanticen legalidad, transparencia, igualdad, concurrencia, integridad, eficiencia y mejor valor
por dinero. La Constitución de la República del Ecuador dispone que las compras públicas
observen criterios de eficiencia, transparencia, calidad y responsabilidad (1), mientras que la Ley
Orgánica del Sistema Nacional de Contratación Pública (LOSNCP), reformada en 2025, incorpora
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