The infrastructure transparency initiative is built on a tripartite partnership between Government, Private Sector and
Civil Society Organizations aimed at initiating and advocating for reforms in addressing challenges that confront public
infrastructure delivery. CoST is built on four core features: Disclosure, Assurance, Multi-Stakeholder working and
Social Accountability. Pivotal to these core features is an appreciation of the need for transparency in the delivery of
infrastructure in the public sector through increased access to infrastructure data, verification of disclosed data
through Assurance, as well as dissemination, engagement, advocacy for policy changes and citizen participation.
CoST’s Infrastructure Data Standard (IDS) is currently being implemented in 19 countries, across 4 continents. In
addition to working with CoST members at the national and subnational levels, it works internationally with key anticorruption organizations to facilitate the global exchange of experience and knowledge on transparency and
accountability in public infrastructure. CoST’s growing list of international partners include, Article 19,
Open Contracting Partnership, Transparency International , Hivos and the Open Government Partnership (OGP).