Moldova’s public procurement system is hampered by a low degree of transparency, competitiveness, and compliance with the state’s legal and institutional framework, according to an Institute for Development and Social Initiatives (IDIS) “Viitorul” report produced in connection with a PASOS project to improve the ability of civil society to monitor policymaking and public services.

“One of the biggest problems of the system is poorly planned, ineffective and, especially, non-transparent procurement,” said IDIS expert Diana Enachi at a September 2 event in Chisinau releasing the results of the report. “This undermines the quality of the procurement process, priority public investment opportunities, and the possibility of monitoring by society how the money is used.”

The report was published as a part of “Building transparent and sustainable public procurement system through permanent monitoring process,” which IDIS launched using a grant from Partners in Empowerment, a PASOS project that aims to increase public accountability and effective policymaking for sustainable development in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Moldova, and Ukraine. The three-year PASOS project, which kicked off in January 2015, is being funded by the EU’s European Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument (ENPI).

The study’s authors offers a series of recommendations that would improve the situation, including ways to streamline the procurement process and a proposal to set up a centralized acquisitions unit, which would reduce costs through economies of scale.

The report drew praise from a industry representative from a company that submits offers on public projects.

“IDIS’s report is the basis for future legislative changes in public procurement and rules becoming clearer for operators participating in tenders,” said Turcan Vadim, a procurement specialist with the Valdcongrup construction company.

The report, Raportului de monitorizare a achizițiilor publice: carențe identificate și recomandări de politici, can be downloaded here (available only in Romanian).

PASOS

11 September, 2016