External Oversight and Evaluation of Public Policies: an analysis of the activities of the TCE/PA and the MPC/PA in the context of institutional reorganization

Abstract

This article takes as its starting point the external oversight system in Brazil, which consists of the State Courts of Auditors (TCEs) and the Public Prosecutor’s Offices for Auditing (MPCs). In the state of Pará, the activities of these bodies have attracted growing academic and institutional interest, particularly regarding their roles in the evaluation and improvement of public policies. Therefore, this study begins with the following question: to what extent have the MPC/PA and the TCE/PA contributed to the evaluation and improvement of public policies in the state of Pará? The general objective is to examine the joint and/or complementary actions of these bodies within the evaluation cycle, as well as to analyze the impacts of the institutional reorganization resulting from the ruling on Direct Action of Unconstitutionality No. 5,254/PA. Methodologically, this is a qualitative study of a descriptive and exploratory nature, based on bibliographic, documentary, normative, and jurisprudential analysis. The deductive method is adopted, starting from general premises regarding external control and public policy evaluation to analyze the specific case of the State of Pará, covering the period from 2020 to 2024. The findings indicate that external control has expanded its scope beyond the verification of formal legality, incorporating evaluative dimensions focused on the efficiency, efficacy, and effectiveness of public policies. It is concluded that, although challenges related to the institutionalization of systematic evaluation practices persist, the coordinated action between the TCE/PA and the MPC/PA reveals significant potential for improving public governance and for inducing more effective social outcomes.