TC Programme for Enhancing Public Procurement Practices: Quality Assurance and Capacity Building for Client-led Implementation

Overview
Project Summary Document

TCRS 9876

Status Approved

Location

Regional

Business Sector

Green

Notice Type

State

PSD Disclosed

25 Feb 2020

Project Description

Sound public sector procurement is key to the EBRD’s mandate. It fosters efficient use of public funds whilst contributing to corporate governance and capacity building. Since 2012, the Bank has lent annually an average of EUR 2.5 billion to clients in the public sector, both on a sovereign and sub-sovereign basis. Up to 70 new public sector clients a year commit to apply EBRD Procurement Policies & Rules (“PP&R”). These clients are often the most resource constrained of the Bank’s client base and are in many cases unfamiliar with the concept and principles of IFI public sector procurement. Generally, the clients are in the Sustainable Infrastructure sector (municipal infrastructure, transport and power and energy). Whilst most clients benefit from consultancy services to support implementation, an analysis of the EBRD’s public sector portfolio indicates that these consultants, although frequently offering a high level of technical expertise, are not always familiar with the EBRD PP&R and its application and the quality of procurement support and advice can be inconsistent. As such, the preparation and finalisation of critical procurement documentation (e.g. prequalification documents/tender documents and prequalification/tender evaluation reports) and the handling of contractual matters (e.g. variation/change orders) for EBRD financed contracts can take longer than originally envisaged. This has a significant impact on operational efficiencies, both at client and Bank level, project delivery and operating asset generation.

Whilst previously, with a smaller portfolio, the Bank may have been able to guide its clients on improving their submissions, current volumes of contracting, which on increase annually by almost 40%, make this quality screening and capacity building support very challenging.

In order to address this challenge, the Bank has established a Quality Assurance & Capacity Building Programme (the “Programme”) as a way to support enhancement of public procurement practices. Under the Programme, the Bank established a contractual framework that allows designated individual procurement experts (the “Experts”) to work alongside its clients and their Project Implementation Unit (“PIU”) support consultants, to act as the first line of procurement quality review and feedback and support them in addressing the deficiencies therein.

The current Expert Panel consists of 19 competitively selected experts. EBRD signed a framework agreement with each Expert. For each specific assignment targeting one or more investment projects in a given country, the EBRD identifies which Expert from the Expert Panel is best suited in terms of relevant sector and country specific experience, as well as relevant language skills.

The Bank intends to select additional experts to cover any gaps in expertise and language knowledge identified since the start of the Programme. The additional experts will become part of the overall Expert Panel for the Programme. The selection of the Experts will be made from responses to a Procurement Notice.

Broadly, the services of the Expert Panel will include:
i. Support the Bank’s clients and their consultants to deliver required procurement and contractual documentation to the Bank for necessary no objection/approval in full compliance with the EBRDs PP&R;
ii. Provide a thorough quality review and assurance test to ensure the highest standards of documentary preparation to facilitate approval by the Bank of the submission;
iii. Provide timely, high quality feedback on identified deficiencies to the clients and their consultants with a view to building up their capacity to achieve high level compliance with the Bank’s PPRs;
iv. Provide capacity building/training services to ensure clients and the consultant population are able to implement IFI procurement methodology
v. Provide feedback to the EBRD with regards to the key issues encountered, indications as to why these have arisen and proposed recommended remedial actions which could be applied to EBRD business in future.

Enquiries

Business opportunities

For business opportunities or procurement, contact the client company.

For business opportunities with EBRD (not related to procurement) contact:

Tel: +44 20 7338 7168
Email: projectenquiries@ebrd.com

For state-sector projects, visit EBRD Procurement:

Tel: +44 20 7338 6794
Email: procurement@ebrd.com

General enquiries

Specific enquiries can be made using the EBRD Enquiries form.

TCRS 9876

Status Approved

Location

Regional

Business Sector

Green

Notice Type

State

PSD Disclosed

25 Feb 2020

Project Description

Any competitive selections for business opportunities relating to this project will be published on the EBRD's website: Consultancy Procurement Opportunities.

General enquiries

EBRD project enquiries not related to procurement:
Tel: +44 20 7338 7168
Email: projectenquiries@ebrd.com

Access to Information Policy (AIP)

The AIP sets out how the EBRD discloses information and consults with its stakeholders so as to promote better awareness and understanding of its strategies, policies and operations following its entry into force on 1 January 2020. Please visit the Access to Information Policy page to find out what information is available from the EBRD website.

Specific requests for information can be made using the EBRD Enquiries form

Independent Project Accountability Mechanism (IPAM)

If efforts to address environmental, social or public disclosure concerns with the Client or the Bank are unsuccessful (e.g. through the Client’s Project-level grievance mechanism or through direct engagement with Bank management), individuals and organisations may seek to address their concerns through the EBRD’s Independent Project Accountability Mechanism (IPAM).

IPAM independently reviews Project issues that are believed to have caused (or to be likely to cause) harm. The purpose of the Mechanism is: to support dialogue between Project stakeholders to resolve environmental, social and public disclosure issues; to determine whether the Bank has complied with its Environmental and Social Policy or Project-specific provisions of its Access to Information Policy; and where applicable, to address any existing non-compliance with these policies, while preventing future non-compliance by the Bank.

Please visit the Independent Project Accountability Mechanism webpage to find out more about IPAM and its mandate; how to submit a Request for review; or contact IPAM via email ipam@ebrd.com to get guidance and more information on IPAM and how to submit a request.

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TC Programme for Enhancing Public Procurement Practices: Quality Assurance and Capacity Building for Client-led Implementation

Project Description

Enquiries

Business opportunities

General enquiries

Project Description

General enquiries

Access to Information Policy (AIP)

Independent Project Accountability Mechanism (IPAM)