The Federal Court of Accounts – Brazil (TCU) tracked the implementation of the governance of the digital transformation strategies in the Federal Public Administration. The public agencies audited were the Special Secretariat of State Modernization (Seme) of the General Secretariat of the Presidency of the Republic, and the Digital Government Secretariat (SGD/ME) of the Ministry of Economy.

The audit identified shortcomings in the risk management of digital transformation. In the sample of digital transformation plans presented by the SGD/ME, most did not show evidence that risk management was being carried out. This fact stems from the low maturity in risk management present in most Brazilian public organizations, a situation that has been successively revealed by the Court in previous surveys.

The work has also pointed out the lack of prioritization of important aspects for the full use of digital public services, such as improving connectivity and providing instruction for the use of these services. The main cause of the problem is the lack of a systemic vision of the governance of digital transformation. As a result of the lack of prioritization, there are limitations in the use of these services by a large part of the Brazilian population, especially the less economically favored.

The TCU also found the existence of regulations that establish similar competencies on digital transformation to distinct governance structures.

The work mentioned the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic on the acceleration of digital transformation. For the Court, there have been efficiency gains in the way products and services are produced, delivered, and consumed, but this also causes an increase in digital inequality. As a result, the TCU recommended the Executive Office of the Presidency to intensify actions to promote digital instruction of citizens and to improve the telecommunications infrastructure.

In conclusion, the evidence and the Court’s review demonstrated that the governance efforts on digital transformation, at least under formal and organizational aspects, have been well conducted. There is alignment between the digital governance strategy and the Brazilian digital transformation strategy (E-Digital), the main instruments that guide the administration’s actions on digital transformation in Brazil.