<p><span style="font-size: small;">SKOPJE, 4 July 2016 – Today, the Centre for Civil Communications published its regular monitoring report on public procurement procedures implemented by local institutions, which provides the following results and findings:</span></p>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">Market research related to requirements defined under technical specifications has failed in all cases. In 100% of tender procedures contracting authorities had to obtain approval from the Council of Public Procurements prior to announcing their procurement notices. As regards eligibility criteria, market research has been successful in 71% of cases, and approval had to be obtained in the remaining 29% of cases. <br /></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">Numerous examples from the monitoring sample showed great interdependence between procurement’s estimate value and final price attained, as well as with tender annulments. Therefore, prior to engaging in any serious effort to set estimated values of their procurements, contracting authorities are recommended to perform preliminary research of market prices and conditions.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">In this monitoring period and sample, the share of tender annulments has decreased to below-average level, although there are examples of problematic tender annulments or non-annulment of tender procedures.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">Competition in tender procedures organized on local level remained on the same low level of an average of 2.5 bidding companies per tender procedure, while the share of tender procedures with no bidding companies or with only one bidding company was decreased.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">While the share of monitored tender procedures that have been completed with e-auction is increasing compared to the last monitoring period, the average number of companies participating in downward bidding at e-auctions accounted for only 2.</span></li>
</ul>
<p><span style="font-size: small;">This monitoring report is available <a href="images/stories/l8e.pdf" target="_blank">here</a><a href="undefined/"></a>. For more information, please contact the Center for Civil Communications by tel. (02) 3213-513 or by e-mail <a href="mailto:center@ccc.org.mk">center@ccc.org.mk</a>.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: small;">USAID Civil Society Project is implemented by the Foundation Open Society – Macedonia (FOSM) in partnership with the Center for Civil Communications, the Youth Educational Forum, Reactor – Research in Action, and Forum – Centre for Strategic Research and Documentation. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: small;">NOTE TO THE EDITORS:</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: small;">The American people, through USAID, have invested over $500 million in Macedonia since 1993. USAID works with the people of Macedonia to create jobs, strengthen democratic institutions and practices, enhance integrated education, and prepare students for the workforce. These initiatives improve the quality of life and support Macedonia’s transition to a stable and prosperous democracy. USAID provides economic and humanitarian assistance in more than 100 countries. For more information please visit <a href="http://macedonia.usaid.gov">macedonia.usaid.gov</a> and the Facebook page <a href="http://www.facebook.com/USAIDMacedonia">www.facebook.com/USAIDMacedonia</a>. </span></p>