Testing the Papua Special Autonomy Fund Interoperability System for 2026 Rollout: Ensuring More Efficient and Transparent Public Finance Workflows

The management of the Papua Special Autonomy Fund, known as Otsus (Otonomi Khusus), plays an important role in supporting accelerated development, particularly for Indigenous Papuans. Until recently, planning and budgeting processes for the fund were carried out through three separate systems: the Papua Development Acceleration Information System (SIPPP), the Special Autonomy Regional Financial Information System (SIKD-Otsus), and the Regional Government Information System (SIPD). As a result, provincial and district governments had to enter the same data multiple times, reconcile information across platforms, and combine documents from different sources. This created inconsistencies and unnecessarily lengthened the workflow.

To address these challenges, the Ministry of Finance (MoF), the Ministry of Home Affairs (MoHA), and the Ministry of National Development Planning/Bappenas (MoNDP/Bappenas) developed the Papua Otsus Fund Interoperability System. The initiative links the three platforms so that data flows automatically from one stage to the next. With this approach, preparing the Budget and Program Plan (RAP) no longer requires three separate processes. Instead, it can be completed through a single workflow, from planning in SIPPP to budgeting in SIKD-Otsus and synchronising with SIPD as part of the regional budgeting cycle.

To support regional readiness ahead of full implementation in the 2026 Fiscal Year, the national government conducted a pilot of the 2026 RAP Adjustment on 11–13 November 2025. The activity brought together the Jayapura Regency Government, through its Regional Development Planning Agency (Bappeda/Bapperida) and technical units (OPD/UPTD), as well as the Papua Provincial Bappeda, to practise using the integrated system and strengthening their understanding of the policy framework that underpins it.

On the first day, participants received a comprehensive overview of the role of interoperability in supporting development outcomes aligned with the Papua Development Acceleration Master Plan (RIPPP) and the Papua Development Acceleration Action Plan (RAPPP). The ministries emphasised that the core purpose of interoperability is not only to link systems, but to simplify processes so that regional governments no longer need to enter data repeatedly across three different platforms.

Over the following sessions, participants practised preparing planning documents, particularly the RAP Adjustment, a requirement for the disbursement of Otsus Funds, using the new workflow. Many noted a significant improvement: tasks that previously required separate work across three systems could now be completed in one system, with data automatically flowing to the next steps. The system’s document-tracing features also made it easier for regional governments to view evaluation notes, track revisions, and verify completeness without having to search across multiple platforms. The pilot showed that Bappeda’s evaluation process can now move forward in a clearer, more structured, and better-documented manner.

A number of issues surfaced during the pilot, including source-of-fund tagging and unit price adjustments, which provided valuable feedback to the national government for refining the system and user guidelines. These inputs will be incorporated before the system is fully implemented.

The Indonesia-Australia Partnership Program, SKALA (Synergies and Collaboration for Service Delivery Acceleration), supported the facilitation process, alignment of materials, and delivery of technical assistance to regional participants. SKALA also documented lessons and feedback to inform national ministries in refining workflow processes and interoperability mechanisms, as part of its broader support for strengthening Otsus Fund governance.

The three-day pilot clearly demonstrated that interoperability provides the convenience regional governments have long needed: a single data entry, a single workflow, and a single, consistent source of information. Processes that were previously scattered across several systems can now follow a more organised and traceable sequence, enabling regional governments to focus more on the quality of planning and the benefits of programs for communities.

Looking ahead, the national government will continue improving the system, updating guidelines, and preparing ongoing capacity support so that all OPD/UPTD units and Bappeda offices are ready for full implementation in 2026. This pilot serves as an important foundation for a smooth transition towards more effective and transparent Otsus Fund management.

With this step, the Otsus Fund can be managed through processes that are simpler, clearer, and easier to track, supporting broader goals to improve the wellbeing of Papuan communities through the Papua Sehat (Healthy Papua), Papua Cerdas (Smart Papua), and Papua Produktif (Productive Papua) priority agendas, and through more effective and efficient planning and budgeting.

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