Journalistic investigations, TV shows, trainings, informative materials and infographics regarding the public procurement process. They are part of the results of civil society organizations receiving grants in the framework of the project "Increasing the integrity in public procurement", which is implemented by the Institute for Development and Social Initiatives (IDIS) "Viitorul" in collaboration with the Partnership for Transparency Fund. In this respect, civil society representatives and the project implementation team met online on August 17, 2022 to exchange experience and share the progress of their initiatives in the first three months of their implementation.
Public associations "Localinvest", "Prospect", "Media-Guard" (in partnership with Ziarul de Gardă), "LEX XXI", "Centrul Contact Cahul" (in partnership with "Cahul 2030"), "AGER", "Parents" Solidari" and the media project "CU SENS" are civil society organizations in Moldova that benefit from grants totaling more than 185 thousand dollars for monitoring public procurement. The grant program carried out by IDIS "Viitorul" aims to formulate recommendations in order to improve the level of communication with the relevant authorities, the integrity of public procurement, the efficiency of public procurement, public budgets and the capacity for good governance.
"We are committed within the project to support reforms in public procurement, which will increase the transparency, efficiency and fairness of procurement, through the involvement of civil society and investigative journalists. Our central objective is to improve the situation in the field of transparency, and recommendations for improving the legal framework or for strengthening the capacities of civil society, contracting authorities and economic operators. I would like to thank the organizations that are part of the sub-granting program for openness, involvement, great work and I am happy for the unique activities carried out", stated Carolina Ungureanu, deputy director of IDIS "Viitorul" and Manager of the project "Increasing of integrity in public procurement".
In his turn, Hady Fink, the project director at PTF, specified "This exchange of information is very welcome and it is great to know the achievements of each organization, to learn from the experience of others and to use different methodologies".
The organizations, selected on the basis of a competitive process, benefit from financial support of between 17 and 25 thousand dollars, assistance and expertise in the procurement monitoring process. Grantees implement procurement monitoring projects carried out by public authorities, such as town halls and district councils, enterprises with public capital or other state entities. The monitoring results are reflected in reports, analytical materials, journalistic investigations, infographics, trainings and public events.
Thus, from the journalists of the "CU SENS" media project, who monitored over 50 public procurement procedures, we can find out through the video materials who and how can contest public tenders and why a cleaning company continues to take about 60% of public money contracts for cleaning services within the "Clean - Dirty" investigation. "We want to put pressure on the authorities and certain interest groups that are behind acts of corruption and to increase the degree of intolerance to corruption in society", emphasized journalist Sergiu Ipatii.
În același timp, Asociația „Media-Guard" a monitorizat 67 de proceduri de achiziții publice în ultimele luni și a realizat o serie de investigații jurnalistice în domeniu, cum ar fi Dependența antigrindină de Rusia și Dosarele licitațiilor trucate: Ședințe amânate, zero condamnări cu executare și firme „abonate” în continuare la banii publici.
At the same time, the "Media-Guard" Association monitored 67 public procurement procedures in the last months and carried out a series of journalistic investigations in the field, such as Anti-Hail Dependence on Russia and Rigged Tenders Files: Postponed Meetings, Zero Convictions enforcement and companies still "subscribing" to public money.
For its part, the "Parents Solidari" Association proposed to keep an eye on the public procurements carried out by the Ministry of Education and Research and nine other institutions subordinate to the Ministry during the period April 2022 - January 2023. In this sense, the organization monitored in the last on Monday seven procurement procedures carried out at the relevant Ministry, the National Agency for Quality Assurance in Education and Research (ANACEC), the National Agency for Curriculum and Evaluation (ANCE) and the Center for Information and Communication Technologies in Education (CTICE).
Also, from the materials developed by the Association for Efficient and Responsible Governance (AGER) within the project, we can learn more about sectoral public procurement, such as the ANSC practice in cases related to the application of Law no. 74/2020 on procurement in the energy, water, transport and postal services sectors. "We chose the field of sectoral procurement because it is a newer one and there are many gaps that we want to understand better and come up with recommendations", says Olga Diaconu, AGER project coordinator.
At the regional level, the Association for Human Rights "LEX XXI" from the municipality of Balti is proud of a campaign to inform citizens about public procurement procedures, but also a public dialogue about the transparency of public procurement procedures in the municipality, organized in July "We want citizens to know public procurement procedures better and get involved because public money is our money," said Diana Grosu, president of the association.
Several reports and press articles on the conduct of public procurement in the Cimișia district were developed by the Public Association "Prospect", and the public procurement carried out by the District Council and the District Hospital of Rîșcani are monitored within the project implemented by A.O. "Localinvest".
In Cahul district, for example, public procurement is monitored by citizens and the local press with the support of A.O. "Contact-Cahul" Center. Thus, two public procurement procedures of the Cahul Municipality were analyzed and a working group formed by citizens was created which will monitor four public procurement procedures carried out by the local authorities, directly at the contract execution stage.
Subsequently, the investigations, findings and recommendations formulated by civil society representatives after the procurement monitoring process will be sent to the decision-makers to be examined and actions taken to improve the situation, thus holding the authorities involved accountable. The expected result would be achieving efficiency in the use of public money, minimizing the risks of public authorities, and finally, quality public goods, works and services for the citizens of the Republic of Moldova.
For more information, contact the Press Officer of the project, Ana - Maria Veverița: ana.veverita@viitorul.org/veverita.maria@gmail.com or at the phone number (0 22) 221844.
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The project “Increasing the Integrity in Public Procurement” is implemented by Institute for Development and Social Initiatives (IDIS) "Viitorul," in collaboration with Partnership for Transparency (PTF). It aims to support procurement reforms in Moldova that will increase transparency and fairness of public procurement through empowering citizens to hold relevant institutions accountable.
IDIS „Viitorul” is an independent think tank, founded in 1993 that combines social, political and economic research with solid advocacy components. The institution conducts applied monitoring research in several areas: economy, social policy, EU policies, regional development, but also security and foreign policy risks.
Based in Washington, DC, the Partnership for Transparency's (PTF) mission is to advance innovative civil society-led approaches to improve governance, increase transparency, promote the rule of law, and reduce corruption in developing and emerging countries.
