Multinational - Project to support the reform of public procurement systems in the WAEMU region - Phase II

The regional public procurement reform project is consistent with the member States’ fiscal consolidation efforts and measures to promote good governance. It is the result of efforts being made by WAEMU to forge a harmonised legal framework that can boost the emergence of a dynamic and competitive regional economy able to successfully integrate the global economy. The project is to consolidate the outcomes of the first successful phase, implemented between 2002 and 2005 with the support of the Bank and the World Bank, through: (i) giving effective implementation to the Community regulations adopted by WAEMU in December 2005; (ii) incorporation of these regulations into the country legislations of the eight WAEMU countries; (iii) adoption of a sub-regional information system; (iv) strengthening the public procurement capacity of the different economic operators; and (v) capacity building for WAEMU, which has responsibility for ensuring compliance with the regulations. In addition to the harmonisation of the country systems of the eight member countries, the project, when implemented, will help to modernise and restore monitorable transparency by shortening the length of the pubic procurement cycle, reducing the number of direct negotiation contracts, and diversifying bidders by rationalizing procurement procedures and reducing the number of complaints from economic operators. The project will have three main components: (i) Development and Promotion of a Community Framework for Public Procurement; (ii) Building Institutional and Human Capacity in the Commission and the Member States ; and (iii) Project Management.