Africa Region Procurement Reform Observatory

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Africa RegionProcurement ReformObservatory

• AFTQK
• PROCUREMENT
• GROUP

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Why the Need for the Observatory

• Progress with procurement reform is essential for
  improved fiduciary management and better
  sector/project performance in AFR member
  countries
• Information on the status of procurement reforms
  proved dispersed and not readily available for
  managerial assessment at the regional level (RPA)
• Progress with reforms was not measured on a
  comparative basis and available to CDs as inputs
  for determining country strategy (CAS), project
  formulation, and lending instruments

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Origin of the Observatory

• First, a study was carried out to verify the
  status of procurement reforms in 28 countries in
  the Africa Region based on 21 CPARs, and the
  follow-up actions financed in 16 countries with
  various grants (IDFs), or in project lending.
• Conclusion a substantial information gap
  appeared at the regional management level.

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Origin of the Observatory

• At the country level, the study noticed weak
  ownership and fragility of reforms, which reduced
  sustainability of procurement reforms and showed
  the need for a regionally managed effort to
  strengthen on-going actions in the various CDs.
• Building the Observatory would provide regional
  oversight, and enable proactive management
• to promote fiduciary improvement,
• to help put in place financing needed for
  reforms,
• to take measures to keep momentum.

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Building Blocks of the Observatory

• First Step Preparation of individual country
  forms stating progress with procurement reforms
  Country Procurement Status Forms
• Second Step On the basis of this country
  information, preparation of a regional index
  ranking country progress in procurement reforms
  AFR Country Ranking Index

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Sources for Status Form on Procurement Progress

• Progress with CPAR recommendations, action plan
  and next steps
• Follow-up discussion with the government and the
  procurement agencies on critical issues
• Actions taken by the government and the
  procurement agencies on the basis of procurement
  measures in project conditionalities and PRSCs

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Ranking Index of Procurement Reforms in Africa

• The ranking index is compiled on the basis of the
  Status forms and updated twice per year
  (June/December) according to progress with
  reforms in
• Legal framework and regulations
• Procurement procedures
• Procurement capacity
• Independency of fiduciary control
• Effectiveness of anti-corruption measures

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Determination of the Five Ranking Indicators

• There are five pillars of good public procurement
  consisting of 1 highest to 5 lowest
• 1 maturity stage (procurement system is fully
  functional)
• 2 advanced stage (procurement system
  functions but still needs improvement)
• 3 average progress (reforms are underway but
  need active support to maintain momentum)
• 4 initial progress (initial measures are
  being taken but progress is still weak)
• 5 no progress or not rated (CPAR to be
  launched)

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Determination of the Five Ranking Indicators

• The performance of each country in the five
  pillars of procurement reform is assessed and
  then ranked on a comparative basis in a joint
  session of the AFTQK Procurement group
• The overall ranking is the unweighted average of
  the individual performance indicators
• Immediate steps for improvement are determined
  and listed in the action column
• The ranking index is then sent to the CDs and
  country economists for information and input in
  the CAS and lending programs

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Current Status of Ranking Index

• Of 47 AFR countries, 21 or 45 percent have a
  ranking of 5 (no progress or not rated)
• 15 or 32 percent rank between 5 and 4 (little and
  initial progress)
• 11 or 23 percent rank between 4 and 3 (initial
  and average progress, six francophone (Mali
  highest at 3.4) and 5 anglophone (Uganda highest
  at 3.3)
• No country yet at full average progress (3)

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How is the Observatory Maintained?

• AFTQK Procurement Specialists at headquarters and
  at the procurement hubs in the field
• review progress with the government and the
  procurement entities in the countries of their
  responsibility
• update the Status Forms quarterly
• Adriana Florez
• maintains the physical files located in the J
  Building
• updates the electronic Status Forms in the
  Activity Room.

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The Observatory in the Activity Room

• The Observatory is an internal database
• User-friendly tool that allows easy access to the
  information on procurement reforms
• Useful tool for people in the field (electronic
  access)
• At headquarters electronic access is accompanied
  by hard copy filing
• Database is secured
• Database is permanent (doesnt go to the Archives)

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Contents of the Observatory in the Activity Room

• Filing system in the electronic Activity Room is
  the same as the hard copy filing system of the
  Observatory
• A General Folder with
• AFR Country Procurement Reform
• Ranking Index
• Country Folder with
• Sub-folders CPAR, latest Status Form,
  Procurement follow-up, grants credits, country
  regulation legislation, anti-corruption
  documents and, economic documents

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How to Use the Activity Room?

• First Step
• Send emails on substance matter to the Inbox in
  the Activity Room AFRProcurement
  Inbox_at_worldbank.org
• Second Step
• Click on and drag the email to the relevant
  country folder and release

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To be an efficient monitoring tool the
Procurement Reform Observatory should be
Regularly updated
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