Transparent, Effective and Accountable Municipalities (USAID TEAM) activity in Kosovo: Quarterly Performance Report April – June 2018

The activity aims to improve procurement effectiveness and transparency by providing comprehensive assistance to all 38 Kosovo municipalities, with more intensive coaching and mentoring in five focus municipalities: Gjakovë/Đakovica, Gjilan/Gnjilane, Pejë/Peć, Prishtinë/Priština, and Vushtrri/Vučitrn. At the central level, USAID TEAM works closely with national-level actors, including the Ministry of Finance (MoF), Public Procurement Regulatory Commission (PPRC), National Audit Office (NAO), Procurement Review Body (PRB), and the Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA). Civil society also plays a key role in providing oversight and exposing corrupt practices. USAID TEAM partners with an active network of civil society organizations (CSOs), including CiviKos, to promote transparency and accountability. The activity contributes to the CDCS Development Objective 1: Improved Rule of Law and Governance that Meet Citizens' Needs. Specifically, USAID TEAM aims to strengthen the effectiveness and accountability of assemblies, administrations, and election processes, as well as strengthen civil society to increasingly engage constructively with government. During the second quarter of 2018, several significant events took place. The number of electronic bids submitted by economic operators surged, with 35% of all bids submitted electronically throughout the quarter. This represents a dramatic increase from 10-12% in 2017. Additionally, bids for centralized procurements must now be submitted in electronic form only, with all large value procurements expected to become fully electronic by September 2018. The Open Procurement Transparency Portal (www.prokurimihapur.org) also went live in June 2018, providing citizens with a user-friendly interface to explore the relationship between public expenditures, contracting authorities, and private actors. Furthermore, 106 procurement complaints were submitted through the new e-appeals module, which was supported by USAID TEAM. The National Coordinator for State Reform engaged USAID TEAM on a public procurement reform plan, with the aim of presenting an action plan to the Prime Minister. Additionally, the PPRC established an e-Procurement Steering Committee, which adopted system governance policies and reorganized the help-desk operation. CSOs, including USAID TEAM grantee BIRN, are documenting and reporting specific cases of alleged corruption in municipal procurement. For example, BIRN produced eight articles, two televised debates, and two radio programs on the topic. The USAID TEAM activity is making progress in improving procurement effectiveness and transparency in Kosovo. The increase in electronic bids and the launch of the Open Procurement Transparency Portal are significant steps towards achieving this goal. Additionally, the engagement of national-level actors and CSOs in the reform process is crucial for ensuring the sustainability of these efforts.