Engaging NPOs in Providing Social Services: Transparency of Procedures Used

In connection with the increased attention of the state to engaging NPOs into providing services in social sectors, the federal and regional legislation regulating the orders (procedures) for selecting social service providers is analyzed. The authors verify the hypothesis that these orders, approved within all branches of the social sphere, have serious deficiencies that adversely affect the transparency of the above-mentioned procedures. Regional legislation is considered in relation to 15 specially selected subjects of the Russian Federation.There are three types of selection procedures for social service providers: 1) a competitive selection, 2) a non-alternative choice of service provider by customer, 3) the choice of the service provider by consumer, including the use of certificates. These orders are analyzed through the following components: the categories of suppliers from which selection is made; "input" requirements, which should be satisfied by an organization in order to be admitted for selection; requirements for the customer (state or municipal authority) to submit information on the selection and selection results; selection criteria (for the competition); requirements for the procedure of reviewing and evaluating the proposals of participants (for the competition).The study confirmed the proposed hypothesis. Moreover, the flaws that adversely affect the transparency of the selection procedures are inherent for each of the indicated components.