Brazilian federal government launches platform to connect micro-entrepreneurs to public procurement.

247 - The federal government launched this Tuesday (11), during the Meeting of New Mayors, in Brasília, the Contrata+Brasil platform, a digital system that aims to connect individual micro-entrepreneurs (MEIs) to public procurement. The tool will allow municipalities, states and the Union to directly contract these professionals for maintenance and small repair services, with the potential to move up to R$6 billion per year.

The Minister of Management and Innovation in Public Services, Esther Dweck, highlighted the importance of the initiative to expand the participation of individual micro-entrepreneurs (MEIs) in government contracting. “We have very low participation of individual micro-entrepreneurs in public procurement, and we are trying to find ways to increase this inclusion. This platform begins precisely with the contracting of MEIs for small repairs in all spheres of government,” she stated.

Currently, there are approximately 16 million active MEIs (Individual Microentrepreneurs) in Brazil, but only 70 are registered in the federal government's supplier database. The expectation is that, in the next phases of Contrata+Brasil, the tool will be expanded to include micro and small businesses, family farmers, and cooperatives, opening new business opportunities and strengthening local economies.

Simplicity and speed in hiring.

The platform was developed to be simple and accessible. Registration for self-employed individuals (MEIs) will be free and intuitive, with login via the gov.br system. Professionals can indicate their areas of expertise, such as painting, plumbing, electricity, and masonry. When a municipality publishes a compatible demand, interested parties will be notified via WhatsApp and can submit their proposals. The selection process will be quick, allowing for hiring within five days.

“These are services that don't require bidding and that municipalities frequently contract. Even so, the participation of micro-entrepreneurs is still very low. The idea of ​​the platform is to change this reality and boost local economies,” explained Dweck.

The Federal Government's Purchasing Center will be responsible for defining the supply lines. The first one is already available and focuses on maintenance and minor repairs, with contracts that can reach R$12.545,11, as provided for in Law No. 14.133/2021.

Economic impact and productive inclusion

The Minister of Entrepreneurship, Microenterprise and Small Business, Márcio França, highlighted the potential impact of the tool. “The government spends, across all levels, approximately R$554 billion per year on small renovations in health centers, daycare centers, and schools. These contracts, up to R$12.500, are made without bidding and could be accessed by millions of micro-entrepreneurs. But there was a lack of a channel connecting these opportunities,” he stated.

Registration on the platform will require professionals to be registered in the Unified Supplier Registration System (Sicaf), which guarantees security and transparency in contracting. Furthermore, the selection of self-employed individuals (MEIs) for services will be done objectively, based on the proposals submitted and their suitability for the requested service.

A model inspired by Recife.

The platform is based on the Go-MEI program of the Recife City Hall and was developed by the Secretariat of Management and Innovation (Seges), in partnership with the Brazilian Agency for Industrial Development (ABDI), Serpro, and the Recife Municipal Informatics Company (Emprel).

The Contrata+Brasil program is part of a set of government actions to strengthen small businesses and use the State's purchasing power as a tool for economic development and productive inclusion. The initiative also aligns with other policies, such as the requirement for local content in purchases under the New PAC (Growth Acceleration Program) and incentives for technological innovation in the productive sector.