USAID Transparent, Effective and Accountable Municipalities (USAID TEAM) Activity in Kosovo: Adaptive Management Report January 2018 - January 2019

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. These municipalities are Gjakovë/Đakovica, Gjilan/Gnjilane, Pejë/Peć, Prishtinë/Priština, and Vushtrri/Vučitrn. In Year Two, the project extended its support to six second tier municipalities: Ferizaj/Urosevac, Lipjan, Podujevë/Podujevo, Prizren, Suhareke/Suva Reka, and Istog/Istok. At the central level, USAID TEAM works closely with national-level actors including the Ministry of Finance, Public Procurement Regulatory Commission (PPRC), National Audit Office (NAO), and the Procurement Review Body (PRB). Civil society also plays a key role as a watchdog exposing corrupt practices, and by working with citizens and local governments as a partner in the process of procurement modernization. USAID TEAM partners with an active network of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) to promote transparency and accountability. This network educates and engages citizens to identify corruption when it occurs – from the municipal to the national level – and provides sustained pressure to improve transparency. Activities implemented through USAID TEAM contribute to the Country Development Cooperation Strategy (CDCS) Development Objective 1: Improved Rule of Law and Governance that Meet Citizens' Needs. The activity directly contributes to two intermediate results under this development objective: IR1.2: Strengthened Effectiveness and Accountability of Assemblies, Administrations, and Election Processes, and IR1.4: Civil Society Strengthened to Increasingly Engage Constructively with Government. USAID TEAM is improving the accountability of municipal administrations and assemblies through greater transparency and effectiveness, and is working with civil society to monitor municipal procurement. The adaptive management report documents USAID TEAM adaptive activities implemented from January 11, 2018, to January 10, 2019. It describes adaptive management tools implemented that enable the project to learn and then design and deliver technical support to counterparts at the local and central level. Through adaptive management and learning mechanisms, USAID TEAM solicited feedback and recommendations from project recipients aiming to make results sustainable. During Year Two, USAID TEAM implemented many adaptive management tools, such as after action review, learning sessions with USAID TEAM partner and non-partner CSOs, learning summits with economic operators, interviews with knowledgeable procurement experts, feedback sessions with central level institutions, and solicited feedback and recommendations from project recipients through various events. The adaptive management approach enabled USAID TEAM to learn and adapt to the needs of its counterparts, resulting in improved procurement effectiveness and transparency. The project's focus on civil society engagement and monitoring of municipal procurement has contributed to the strengthening of civil society and improved governance in Kosovo. The adaptive management approach has also enabled USAID TEAM to identify areas for improvement and make adjustments to its activities to better meet the needs of its counterparts.