Santo Domingo.- The Government Office of Information and Communication Technologies (OGTIC) has announced that the use of the digital signature has saved the Dominican government a staggering 40 million pesos from January 2023 to May 2024. This achievement is attributed to the implementation of the FirmaGOB Government Portafirmas service, which has been adopted by 92 institutions across the country.
The cost of signing a document in physical format is substantial, with expenses including paper, printing, storage, transportation, and work time adding up to approximately RD$177 per document. In contrast, signing a document digitally costs only RD$5, resulting in a significant saving of RD$172 per document.
In total, 234,999 digital signature requests have been processed through the FirmaGOB service, generating a total saving of RD$40,546,074. The director of OGTIC and executive director of the Digital Innovation and Development Cabinet, Bartolomé Pujals, emphasized that the digital signature not only provides economic savings but also improves efficiency and transparency in the state’s administrative processes, benefiting citizens and optimizing public resources.
The implementation of digital signatures has also increased efficiency, with the time required to complete a digital signature being only 8% of that required for a handwritten signature. Additionally, the digital signature is 12 times more efficient than its physical counterpart, taking only 5 minutes regardless of volume.
The digitization of the no-objection request process for technology purchases has also significantly improved the state’s efficiency, reducing processing time by 80%. This digital process has facilitated a faster and more efficient response to requests received.
The use of digital signatures is a crucial step towards modernizing government services and improving the overall experience for citizens. The OGTIC remains committed to implementing innovative technological solutions that promote efficiency and sustainability in public administration.