Integrity Pact Partner Event 17 June 2016 Brussels Eng. Lazar Lazarov Road Infrastructure Agency

Road Infrastructure Agency (RIA) is a separate Agency of the Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works. RIA is responsible for the management of the road system, that is, the organizing, commissioning, financing and control of activities directly related to the design, construction, management, repair and maintenance of roads.

 In 2009 the Ministry of Regional Development and Public works signed an agreement with Transparency International for independent civil monitoring of the preparation and implementation of big infrastructure projects in Bulgaria.  RIA has signed an Integrity Pact (IP) during the first initiative for applying integrity pacts for public procurement in Bulgaria – in the period  The pact has been signed for public procurement for selection of contractor for design and construction of Lot 2 of Struma motorway.  The project is financed by the Operational Programme Transport of the EU.

 In November 2015 a new integrity pact for the monitoring of public procurement for design and construction of Jeleznitsa tunnel which is part of Lot 3.1 of Struma motorway was signed between National Company Strategic Infrastructure Projects (NCSIP) and Transparency International  After the amendments in the Road Act in April 2016 RIA became successor of NCSIP. Following that RIA will resign the new integrity pact with Transparency International.

Advantages of civil monitoring and participation  Public institutions obtain another tool to promote policies for transparency and integrity;  By participating in IP the Contracting authority (CA) declares its commitment to implement its duties transparently and to a broader community in the process of public procurement;  At the stage of preparation of the public procurement documentation the CA receives additional opportunity to identify and remove possible involuntary omissions earlier.

Advantages of civil monitoring and participation  By signing the IP and in particular the maintaining of a White Book the Contracting authority has the opportunity to have access to a register of companies, which participated in the public procurement and joined the IP;  The Struma Motorway Monitoring Committee, organized by RIA, is another good practice for civil monitoring and participation in the implementation of a big infrastructure project.

Activities for the application of the Integrity Pact  Assigned person in the administration, who is responsible for the communication with the observer;  RIA has opportunity to decide independently whether to participate in the Integrity Pact;  The Managing authority of the OP Transport and the Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works fully support us in our decision to participate in the Integrity Pact.

Final assessment of the benefits for the Contracting Authority  Increased transparency and accountability in the activities of the Contracting authority at all stages of the public procurement and implementation;  Increased public confidence in the work of the Contracting authority;  Promoting synergies between public institutions, business (bidders, contractors) and NGOs (institutions of civil society).  Trust from our EU partners that the EU funds are being spent in a transparent way.