On January 22, 2024 the Institute for Development and Social Initiatives (IDIS) Viitorul and the Court of Accounts signed a cooperation agreement where they agreed to collaborate efforts to improve the transparency and efficiency of the public procurement process in order to maximize the value of public money. The agreement was signed in the context of the Increasing the Integrity of Public Procurement project which IDIS Viitorul implements with Partnership for Transparency. This project increases transparency and fairness in the Moldovan public procurement sector by empowering citizens to hold relevant institutions accountable.

The signing of this agreement follows a meeting between IDIS Viitorul and the Court of Accounts on October 24, 2023 where the Court of Accounts agreed to join the National Platform for Pulic Procurement, a national, multi-stakeholder discussion forum for the public procurement sector, developed within the Increasing the Integrity of Public Procurement project. IDIS Viitorul and the Court of Accounts believe that partnership between civil society and public authorities improves the quality of public services.

This partnership contributes to the Republic of Moldova’s ongoing efforts to join the European Union. On June 23, 2022, the Republic of Moldova became a European Union candidate country, when the European Commission recommended the Republic of Moldova take measures to improve public procurement, and increase the involvement of civil society in decision-making processes, at all levels of government. These recommendations of the Commission reiterate the need for all actors in the public procurement sector to work together, with input from civil society, to monitor procurements and to develop policies to improve the regulatory framework as well as digital tools to monitor it.

The agreement stresses that, as established in Article 133 of the Constitution of the Republic of Moldova, the Court of Accounts is an audit institution with a broad mandate to exercise control over the formation, management, and use of public financial resources. The Court of Accounts submits annual reports of its activities to Parliament. "In its work, the Court of Accounts addresses the risk that public finances and assets may be mismanaged and misused by constantly providing information on how money is spent by state authorities and on the performance of the public sector. Because of its specific responsibilities for managing public money and exercising public authority, the Court of Accounts' work extends not only to financial matters, but also to the commitments of auditees on the performance and compliance of the use of public resources."

The agreement also mentions that public procurement is an important component of public finances, as demonstrated by the volume of public financial resources that are spent through the procurement system for the procurement of goods, services, and works by the contracting authorities in the country, which is why ensuring and improving the transparency and efficiency of this process is imperative. "The establishment of effective and permanent communication between representatives of public institutions with responsibilities in the field of public procurement, contracting authorities, economic operators, and civil society is a basic prerequisite for coordinating and harmonizing the interests of citizens with those of the state in a democratic atmosphere and in the spirit of the rule of law," the agreement states.

The Court of Accounts and IDIS Viitorul note in their agreement the need to combine the efforts and capacities of the government and civil society in order to achieve the objectives of governance, modernization of the country and adjustment to European standards in all areas, including public procurement, which is an important component of public finances and the national public budget. The Parties also welcome initiatives to consult and involve civil society, academia and independent organizations in all issues of strategic interest as part of the process of democratization of society and the state in the Republic of Moldova. "A better coordination of the joint efforts of the associative sector and the public and specialized authorities of the Government of the Republic of Moldova, in particular the Court of Accounts of the Republic of Moldova, will have a positive impact on the performance of the country's economic development," the agreement also states.

According to the agreement, the parties will participate in joint meetings, round tables, and other activities where they will address various topical issues in the field of public procurement, issues that require discussion and consultation with all stakeholders in the sector, as well as work on finding solutions to address challenges. The parties will also ensure the systematic participation of their representatives in the activities of the National Platform for Public Procurement.

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The project Increasing the Integrity of Public Procurement is implemented by the Institute for Development and Social Initiatives (IDIS) Viitorul, in partnership with the American organization Partnership for Transparency. The project aims to support public procurement reforms in Moldova that will increase transparency and fairness in public procurement by empowering citizens to hold relevant institutions accountable.

IDIS Viitorul is an independent think tank established in 1993 that combines social, political and economic research with strong advocacy components. The institution conducts applied monitoring research in several areas: economics, social policy, EU policies, regional development, and security and foreign policy risks.

Partnership for Transparency (PTF) is based in Washington, DC and its mission is to promote innovative civil society-led approaches to improving governance, increasing transparency, promoting the rule of law, and reducing corruption in developing and emerging countries. Since 2000, PTF has supported over 250 projects aimed at promoting NGO involvement in decisions, processes, and laws that enforce transparency and accountability in public procurement.