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Support in the area of public procurement constitutes an important component of Sigma’s operations, involving the analysis of national public procurement systems and the maintenance of an open, ongoing dialogue with partner countries on the reform of their public procurement systems. As accession to the European Union is a priority for all partner countries, Sigma’s efforts have been, and continue to be, devoted to the task of facilitating the accession process by helping countries comply with EU requirements and enabling them to operate effectively within the context of the internal market.
Sigma support in public procurement takes the following forms:
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Advice to governments on designing and implementing public procurement reform plans
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Institution-building and implementation support, including assistance in the organisation and operation of public procurement offices (PPOs)
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Capacity-building through the organisation of multi-country conferences, seminars, workshops and training courses, and the production of training materials and publications
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Advice on appropriate systems for control and complaints review, including external and internal audit, and administrative and judicial review
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Promotion of ethics in procurement
Regional meetings of senior procurement officials
Sigma has organised multi-country meetings of senior public procurement officials from Western Balkan countries. These meetings aim to increase regional understanding of public procurement issues, establish a regional network of public procurement officials, and foster links with relevant institutions in EU Member States. The following four meetings have been held:
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Ohrid, former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (September 2004): The meeting identified reform needs in public procurement processes, with particular reference to the Stabilisation and Association Process (SAP) and EU harmonisation.
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Sarajevo, in co-ordination with the Public Procurement Agency of Bosnia and Herzegovina (April 2006): The meeting focused on the new EC Directives and the role of policy-making centres (public procurement offices).
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Dubrovnik, in co-ordination with the Croatian State Commission for Supervision of Public Procurement Procedures (May 2007): The meeting focused on review and remedies systems, in particular the specific requirements of the EC Remedies Directives, the EC Treaty, and the case law of the European Court of Justice. The Dubrovnik seminar papers are now available on the website.
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Tirana, in co-ordination with the Albanian Ministry of Economy, Trade and Energy (December 2007): The topic of the meeting was concessions and public-private partnerships (PPPs).
In September 2008 a fifth meeting of senior officials, to be held in Pristina, is being co-organised with the Kosovo Public Procurement Regulatory Commission and the Public Procurement Agency. The topic of the meeting is "Public Procurement Reform in the Western Balkans: Key Challenges and Priorities for Change".
Seminars on New Procurement Procedures and Instruments
To provide strategic and planning guidance to policy-makers on how to utilise and implement the new procedures and instruments indicated in EC Directives 2004/17 and 2004/18, Sigma co-organised three seminars: with the Lithuanian Public Procurement Office in May 2005, the Polish Public Procurement Office in October 2005, and the Hungarian Public Procurement Council in February 2006.
Sigma study on central public procurement structures and capacity
The study provides information on how Member States organise key procurement functions within their central public procurement structures and examines the issue of administrative capacity to develop policies, draft legislation, implement legislation effectively, advise the procurement community, and monitor procurement operations. Sigma Paper no. 40, Central Public Procurement Structures and Capacity in Member States of the European Union
Sigma study on public procurement review and remedies systems
This study provides information on how Member States have implemented the EC Remedies Directives and describes elements of their review systems that are outside the scope of the directives. Sigma Paper no. 41, Public Procurement Review and Remedies Systems in the European Union
Sigma study on regulation of public procurement outside the scope of EC Directives
Work is currently underway on a study of the procedural frameworks and practices outside the scope of EC Directives that are in place in EU Member States. The resulting Sigma Paper is foreseen to be completed by end-2008.
See Public Procurement Web Sites.
More on Sigma's priority activity areas.
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