Policy Dialogue and Capacity Building

PPAD also conducts procurement policy dialogue with the Bank’s countries of operation, which is done in close cooperation with the Bank’s Legal Transition Team.

For example, the Bank has successfully provided technical assistance for commercial law reform to the countries of central and Eastern Europe and the CIS and Mongolia (EBRD - UNCITRAL (United Nations Commission on International Trade Law) Public Procurement Initiative). Also, the Bank has initiated a series of regional and country-specific technical projects and has been providing ongoing assistance to our countries of operation with the preparation for accession to the World Trade Government Procurement Agreement. For more information, please refer to the following page.

The Bank has signed memoranda of understanding (MoUs) outlining closer cooperation in the area of public procurement between the Bank and some of its countries of operation. Please refer to the MoUs on this page for more information.

PPAD has been cooperating with other Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs) and international organisations (e.g. OECD, UN agencies, EU, WTO, FIDIC).

During the last two decades, the Heads of Procurement (HOP) of the Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs) have been holding annual meetings and more informal discussions in between to discuss amongst others the challenges they face in their operations, capacity building and procurement reforms, as well as lessons learned and environmental and sustainable considerations in public procurement. During their long existence, HOPs meetings have resulted in solid achievements in harmonising procurement policies and practices amongst the MDBs. 

In September 2023, a significant milestone was reached in the realm of sustainable procurement as the Heads of Procurement (HoP) from 12 International Financial Institutions (IFIs) converged in Manila to issue a Joint Statement on Sustainable Procurement Initiatives. This statement marks a collective commitment to mainstreaming sustainable procurement practices across their respective organisations. The IFI HoP group's collaboration is centred around awareness building, identifying opportunities for harmonising approaches, monitoring impact, and communicating these efforts to the global community. This endeavour underlines the pivotal role IFIs play in driving sustainability and social responsibility through their procurement processes.

Sustainable procurement, often regarded as the strategic integration of environmental, social, and ethical considerations into procurement practices, holds immense importance in the current global context. Beyond economic factors, organisations today are increasingly acknowledging their role in addressing global challenges such as climate change, inequality, and resource scarcity. IFIs, as pivotal players in the global financial landscape, have a unique opportunity to lead by example in promoting sustainable procurement practices.

The joint statement emphasises the necessity of creating awareness about sustainable procurement across IFIs. Awareness building is not just an internal exercise but extends to IFIs engaging with their stakeholders, including project partners, suppliers, and the broader community. By fostering a culture of understanding and commitment to sustainability, IFIs aim to instigate positive change throughout their procurement processes.

The HoP has collaboratively developed a comprehensive and user-friendly tool for assessing electronic government procurement (e-GP) systems of partner countries. This tool is specifically designed for considering the procurement of Goods, Works, or Services contracts, financed by MDBs, through e-GP systems. By introducing a structured and standardized approach, it aims to determine whether e-GP systems meet the minimum requirements set forth by MDBs for its effective use.

This assessment tool conducts a thorough review of procurement policies, procedures, and practices to ensure compliance. It enables MDBs to evaluate whether an e-GP system fulfills all necessary criteria or if additional requirements and restrictions are warranted. For broader reform initiatives, this tool is ideally complemented by the MAPS e-GP supplementary module.

The effective utilization of e-GP systems is critical for enhancing transparency, credibility, and efficiency of the procurement process but also elevates the procurement function to a strategic level. By consolidating procurement-related data and offering comprehensive insights, e-GP systems empower decision-makers in project preparation and delivery.

PPAD continues to play an active and often leading role within HOP. Further information can be found in PPAD's Annual Procurement Reviews and on this page.

PPAD has had a longstanding and successful partnership with the OECD Anti-Corruption Network (ACN). PPAD staff has been participating as public procurement experts during the peer review program under the Istanbul Anti-corruption Action Plan, which support anti-corruption reforms in ACN countries through country reviews and continuous monitoring of implementation of recommendations. PPAD experts have furthermore contributed to the drafting of the benchmarks for the procurement performance area for the pilot and ongoing 5th round of monitoring.

The Bank was instrumental in establishing and co-founding with the University of Rome, Tor Vergata, the International Master in Public Procurement Management (IMPPM) in 2013. Given its success, an executive master version of the programme, the Master in Public Procurement Management (MPPM), was established at the University of Belgrade in 2017.

These are one of a few master programmes in public procurement worldwide. They provide interdisciplinary training on many aspects of public procurement, responding to the national and international need to train students and experienced procurement professionals on modern challenges arising in public procurement.

Not only was the Bank instrumental in launching these programmes, but Bank staff (including PPAD staff) has been teaching a diverse range of courses and supervising students with their thesis. The Bank has provided scholarships to procurement professionals working for Bank clients in our countries of operations. For more information on these programmes, please refer to the links and videos on this page.