In accordance with the PPAWork Programme for 2014 within the measures defined by the Action plan for implementation of the Strategy for development of the Public Procurement System in Montenegro for the period 2011-2015 and recommendations of the European Commission with the aim to assess the state of play in the public procurement system within the local self-government units, business organizations and the legal entities performing tasks of public interest at the local self-government level, PPA representatives, Assistant Director and Head of the Sector for monitoring implementation of regulations and monitoring in public procurement Mara Bogavac, and Senior Adviser Goran Vojinović were in visit to the following municipalities: Kolašin, Mojkovac, Rožaje, Petnjica, Berane and Andrijevica.

During their stay PPA representatives talked to the following officials: Vice-President of the Municipality Kolašin Đorđije Živković, President of Municipality Mojkovac Dejan Medojević, President of Municipality Rožaje Ejup Nurković and to the both of his Vice-Presidents Idriz Nurković and Mirsad Azemović, President of Municipality Petnjica Samir Agović, Vice-Presidents of Municipality Berane Rade Kljajić, Sveto Mitrović and Mira Vešović, President of Municipality Andrijevica Srđan Mašović. Secretaries to the Secretariat for Administration and Social Services, Financial Secretaries, Public Procurement Officers, Heads of the Business Organizations were in attendance to the meetings held in the premises of Municipalities in the organization of the local self-government units and others.

Official visit to the mentioned Municipalities aimed to assess the current state of play regarding the application of the Law on public procurement in respect of complying with principles of transparency in public procurement procedure, providing competition and equality, cost-effective and efficient use of public funds, obeying anticorruption rules and the rules of prevention of conflict of interest on the part of the contracting authority, and prevention of conflict of interest on the part of the bidder.

In the course of the visit, PPA representatives particularly stated that conditions, manner and procedure of public procurement, protection of the rights in public procurement procedures, as well as other relevant issues of public procurement have been regulated by the Law. Accordingly, obligation of each Municipality as a contracting authority is to create basic conditions for commencing the public procurement procedure i.e. to provide funds by the budget or in some other way and to foresee the subject procurement by the public procurement plan. It was pointed out the necessity and obligation of public procurement planning, its content, person who adopt it, possibility of change of the plan, defining the public procurement subject-matter in accordance with the CPV, stating the estimated value of the subject procurement, liability for planning and other issues.

Also, importance of the selection of the appropriate type of public procurement procedure, advantages of certain type of the procedure in relation to the nature and estimated value of the subject public procurement, all with the aim to conduct the public procurement procedure efficiently and in the shortest period, acquire better price and value for money. Special attention paid to appointment of the public procurement officers, strengthening the administrative capacities, training and education of the employees involved in the process of public procurement, obligation in taking professional exam of public procurement, mandatory keeping records of the public procurement procedures, reporting and safekeeping of the documents on conducted procedures of public procurement by contracting authority.

Discussion was focused on the local level activities implemented by the Strategy for the fight against corruption and organized crime for the period 2010-2014, where the public procurement recognized as the special risk area, on importance of the preparation of risk assessment analysis in this area at the local level, i.e. identification of factors in favor of violation of anti-corruption rules and prevention of conflict of interest; The accent was also on mandatory and regular reporting on violation of anti-corruption rules to the competent authority in accordance with the Law (twice per year) and Rulebook on the manner of keeping records and the content thereof regarding the violation of anticorruption rules.

PPA representatives came across the warm reception in all municipalities, interest of all employees for the training acquiring skills and knowledge in the area of public procurement with the aim to ensure certified trainers – public procurement officers, persons involved in the procedure for opening and evaluation of bids as the members of the Commission, persons involved in the process of planning in order to establish efficient procurement system at the local level and comply with the general principles of the public procurement system. Enormous interest shown for the possibility of preparation of the manual and other publications as well, leaflets, guidelines on procedures for deciding on appeals etc.

To the end of further development of the single public procurement system, and in order to be better informed, exchange experience and overcome obstacles, the PPA pointed to the significance of strengthening mutual cooperation between main institutions within the public procurement system, public administration authorities that are indirectly linked to the local self-government units regarding the area of public procurement.