1. 2nd SIGMA NETWORKING SEMINAR
OECD Conference Centre Paris November 2008

2. Public Procurement Reform Integrity Experiences
Piotr-Nils Gorecki and Peter Bennett, Sigma Senior Advisors and
Olivier Moreau, European Commission

3. Public Procurement Reform Today's focus
transposing and implementing the “acquis” correctly
detailed regulation of procurement
building control functions
building sufficient central capacity and institutions
implementation support to contracting entities and economic operators

4. Objectives of reform
Efficiency of the national public procurement system
Alignment with the EU requirements

5. Overall overview Harmonization – started but not fully achieved
Scope – utilities yet to be fully included
Procedures – new EU procedures to be fully implemented, restricted procedure to be more preferred
Thresholds: detailed procedures required too often?
Transposition: an ongoing issue

6. General observations
LEGAL ALIGNMENT WITH THE EC DIRECTIVES MAIN PRIORITY AND ADVANCES COMPARABLY FAST
PUBLIC PROCUREMENT LEGISLATION-PRIMARY AND SECONDARY- GENERALLY FAILS TO REFLECT CORRECTLY THE OPERATIONAL NEEDS AND EFFICIENCY ASPECTS
RISKS FOR OVERREGULATION AND FORMALISM

7. General observations
STRONG INTEREST IN THE NEW INSTRUMENTS, SUCH AS E-PROCUREMENT, BUT THE TIMING QUESTIONABLE
THE CENTRAL INSITUTIONAL SET-UPS- PPO AND REVIEW BODIES- IN PROGRESS- BUT STILL A FUNDAMENTAL LACK OF CAPACITY AND CAPABILITY TO SUPPORT THE EFFICIENT FUNCTIONING OF THE PUBLIC PROCUREMENT SYSTEMS

8. Developments and challenges
Remedies
Concessions
Defence