Strategic planning and governance in public procurement at a decentralized university in Peru

Introduction – The study analyzes the relationship between strategic planning and governance in public procurement at a decentralized public university in Peru, considering its implications for efficiency, transparency, and regulatory compliance. Methods – A mixed descriptive-correlational approach was applied using a non-experimental cross-sectional design, evaluating 152 university employees using a validated questionnaire (α > 0.71) and a review of normative documents. Results – The findings reveal a predominance of simplified awarding procedures (2019-2024) and a high incidence rate in the preparatory stage, identified as the main operational bottleneck, resulting in economic damages of up to 2, 982, 623.50 PEN and average delays of 71.6 days. The Regulatory Alignment Index (55%) indicates gaps with international standards. A significant positive correlation was found between governance and planning (ρ = 0.566; p < 0.01), with moderate explanatory power (R2 = 0.3295). Discussion – These results suggest that, despite acceptable operational performance, structural weaknesses persist in governance and strategic planning. The identified gaps highlight the need to incorporate sustainability, life-cycle approaches, and project management methodologies. An adaptive model integrating public value, efficiency, transparency, and sustainability is proposed to strengthen governance and align university procurement with global best practices.