The present work has two objectives: (i) to illustrate how the constitutional and principlistic paradigm of our legal system reliably conditions the entire scaffolding of public contracting and, (ii) to demonstrate, by means of a theoretical and factual analysis, how the principle of planning, without the mediation an explicit declaration in law, whether or not it is an essential criterion to develop all other principles, values, duties and functions of public contracting in Colombia. © 2020.