WG – Public Procurement (Chapter 5) – New National Strategy for Public Procurement 2024-2030 and Action Plan 2024-2027, 19 September 2024

On September 19, 2024, the next roundtable of the Partnership Platform for European Integration and the National Convention for European Integration for Chapter 5 – Public Procurement was held, organized by the Public Procurement Agency and the European Movement in Albania, with the main theme being the approval of the New National Strategy for Public Procurement 2024-2030 and the Action Plan for its implementation 2024-2027.

Reida Kashta, The Director General of the Public Procurement Agency, opened the event by underscoring that the new National Strategy for Public Procurement represents a significant milestone for the sector. This is only the second approved strategy, following the first , which spanned 2020-2023. The accompanying Action Plan for 2024-2027, is designed to ensure flexibility and responsiveness to current developments in the sector. Kashta emphasized that this Strategy is vital for increasing the efficiency and transparency of procurement processes, fostering sustainable development, and ensuring the fair management of public resources. To align the Strategy with real needs, public consultations were conducted with various stakeholders prior to its approval, addressing gaps identified in the previous Strategy. Kashta noted that continuous monitoring of the sector has yielded positive results, with a score of 90-91 points out of 100 from SIGMA for the public procurement process. This score reflects significant progress but also highlights the need for ongoing improvement. She acknowledged the persistent challenges, including system efficiency and the capacity of relevant institutions, stressing the importance of training programs to enhance staff expertise and increase transparency, thereby building public trust in the procurement system.

Gledis Gjipali, The Executive Director of the European Movement in Albania, emphasized necessity of active civil engagement throughout the strategy’s drafting process. He highlighted the importance of addressing recommendations for effective implementation and called for stakeholders to contribute to policy making for public procurement. Gjipali noted that this Strategy offers a unique opportunity to modernise public procurement, improving services for citizens and supporting the country’s sustainable development. He pointed out that public procurement is closely linked to critical issues like combating corruption and money laundering, demanding ongoing collaboration among state institutions and heightend oversight from the European Union. Gjipali emphasized that only  this cooperation will yield a more efficient and fair public procuremnet. He suggested that dialogue roundtables be established to facilitate discussions among diverse actors regarding policy improvements.

Daniela Laze, The Head of the Strategic Policy Implementation and Statistics Sector at the Public Procurement Agency, presented the achievements of the previous strategy, explaining how these will inform the new strategy’s priorities. She reported that out of 43 planned activities, 32 of them (74%) were fully completed, while 11 activities (26%) are still in progress, indicating strong overall performance. Laze discussed the assessment through 10 key indicators (KPIs), with data available for 8 of them. Key indicators include improvements in the quality of goods and services, increased participation of SMEs in procurement, and enhanced procurement planning. Notably, in 2023, there was a significant increase in the quality of contracts awarded based on the Most Economically Advantageous Tender (MEAT) criterion, alongside a remarkable 93.9% participation of SMEs. One of the main succeses of the Public Procurement Strategy 2020-2023 was the full publication of Concession and PPP contracts, which has helped bolster public trust and has immproved efficiency in the contracting processes. Additionally, improvements were observed in complaints review system, with a notable reduction in complaints reported outside the legally stipulated timeframe. In conclusion, Laze acknowledged progress in achieving the strategic objectives of the Public Procurement Strategy 2020-2023, although some activities remain ongoing.

Xhoana Ristani, The Director of the Directorate for the Implementation of Strategic Policies and Integration at the Public Procurement Agency, described the new strategy as transformative effort that expands from 5 to 9 strategic objectives, intertwining various fields. The National Strategy for Public Procurement 2024-2030 aims to improve the efficiency and sustainability of Albania’s procurement system in, focusing on institutional capacity building and legal framework improvements. Key measures include reviewing and amending the Law on Public Procurement and Decision No. 285/2021, concerning procurement rules, as well as  adjustements to Law No. 162/2020 and regulations on monetary thresholds. The establishment of a Central Purchasing Operator (CPO) is another critical initiative aimed at streamlining public purchases, with plans with organisational structuring and staffing to support centrilized procurement. The strategy also prioritises green and social procurement, with plans for drafting sub-legal acts to incorparate environmental and social criteria into procurement procedures. Objectives include organizing 2 training sessions for the staff at the Public Procurement Agency and ATRAKO on these criteria, along awareness-raising events. Furthermore, the electronic procurement system will be enhanced by adding new functionalities, such as red flags to prevent corrupt practices, while improving its interoperability with other public systems to ensure greater transparency and efficiency in contracting. In conclusion, Ristani emphasized that these measures will strengthen the integrity and legality of the public procurement system, fostering trust and fairness in the process.

Discussions raised the need for more increased transparency and oversight at all stages of procurement, particularly in addressing challenges from the previous strategy and improving electronic systems and processes related to social and environmental criteria. Participants stressed that ongoing consultations with civil society and interest groups to ensure that procurement policy is inclusive and aligned with international standards.

**This roundtable takes place within the framework of the “Building Partnership on Fundamentals: Empowered CSOs in the EU  accession process” project, with the financial support of the European Union – IPA Civil Society Facility 2021, which is implemented by the European Movement in Albania, and in cooperation with the Academy of European Integration and Negotiations (AIEN), Slovak Foreign Policy Association (SFPA) and the Center for Transparency and Free Information (CTFI), and in the framework of “The National Convention for European Integration – Empowered civil society as an active actor in the European integration process”, financed by the Agency for the Support of Civil Society (AMSHC).