The World Bank Encouraging SME Participation in Public Procurement Markets in MENA (P149810) Public Disclosure Authorized Public Disclosure Authorized

Transcription

1 Public Disclosure Authorized The World Bank Public Disclosure Authorized Public Disclosure Authorized ACTIVITY COMPLETION SUMMARY (ACS) Encouraging SME Participation in Public Procurement Markets in MENA (ID: P149810) Middle East and North Africa (MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA) Public Disclosure Authorized Mar 05, 2018 Page 1 of 18

2 BASIC INFORMATION Activity Information Project ID P Short Name SME Participation in Public Procurement Project Status Product Line Advisory Services & Analytics Full Name Encouraging SME Participation in Public Procurement Markets in MENA Completion Fiscal Year Closed 2018 Processing Is this a Reimbursable Advisory Service (RAS)? No What kind of task description is needed? Concept Note with a Review (Track 2, including Programmatic) Is this a Programmatic activity? No Is this a joint Bank-IFC activity? No Accountability Region MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA Requesting Unit MNARS(8505) Country, Regional or World Middle East and North Africa Team Leader Nazaneen Ismail Ali Responsible Unit GGOPM(9297) Practice Area (Lead) Contributing Practice Areas Governance Mar 05, 2018 Page 2 of 18

3 BRIEF ACTIVITY DESCRIPTION This proposal will aim to foster SME access to public procurement opportunities. The activities outlines below were selected by the MENA Network of Public Procurement Experts and will implemented in close collaboration and cooperation with the Network. The three activities include: Activity 1: Open Dialogue and Multi-Country Knowledge Exchanges on SME Participation: SMEs in MENA account for the vast majority of businesses, but account for very little public procurement spending. To help align the SME share of public procurement to a level more comparable with the SME share of the economy, the MENA Network of Public Procurement Experts will facilitate an open dialogue and multicountry knowledge exchange to identify and address the obstacles SMEs face in winning government contracts. In addition, they will also raise awareness among the public procurement policy makers and other stakeholders about the importance of SME participation in public procurement as a key element to spurring on economic growth. The knowledge exchanges present an excellent vehicle for knowledge sharing in the region as they create opportunities for peer-to-peer learning, dialogue, agreements, and even combined actions among policy makers, practitioners, the private sector (including SMEs themselves and organizations that represent them) and academia. Activity 2: Strengthening Capacity Building for MENA SMEs to Enter into Public Procurement: This capacity building is aimed at increasing SME participation in public procurement through (i) fostering SME knowledge of public procurement processes and (ii) making those processes more efficient and compatible with SMEs means. These efforts will be conducted at two levels: (i) for the SMEs, to provide them exposure and knowledge on where to find opportunities for public contracts, how to prepare bids that respond to the requirements, what processes and procedures must be followed, etc., and (ii) for those responsible for public procurement, to ensure the legal framework and practices on the ground provide SMEs equal (or even preferential access, depending on the country?s strategy) to public contracts, and that bidding opportunities are crafted in a way that will entice them to participate. This activity will approach capacity building for SMEs by developing training programs that will be offered in participating countries by government institutions and other organizations that are involved in providing procurement training (e.g., ARADO, the Institute of Finance in Beirut, learning institutes and universities). By working with these partners to provide the training, the sustainability and impact of the capacity building programs for SMEs can be strengthened. Activity 3: Enhancing SME Access to the Public Procurement Market in MENA: Electronic advertisement of bids and increased availability of procurement opportunities have the potential to help level playing field for SMEs that are competing for government contracts with larger companies. The wider publication of public procurement information will result in more openness, transparency and accessibility of tendering, and the increased use of technology with streamlined procedures will reduce the associated costs. The establishment of a regional e-portal for procurement opportunities can enhance public contract opportunities for SMEs by making information on available tenders widely accessible and lowering the barriers for competition. The system will be designed in two phases, with this TA funding the first. The 1st phase, which will set the groundwork for future improvements, will serve as (i) a document repository with all relevant information on public procurement (including legal frameworks, training materials, guides, etc.) for participating countries, as well as (ii) a knowledge sharing platform for those responsible for setting procurement policies. The 2nd phase will include the development of regional sharing of procurement opportunities. DEVELOPMENT OBJECTIVE The principal objective of the activity is to enhance SMEs? access to government procurement opportunities in MENA. This will be accomplished through improving the transparency of critical public procurement information, helping governments to asses the current situation of country public procurement legal framework about SME, and building Mar 05, 2018 Page 3 of 18

4 the capacity SMEs to take advantage of public procurement opportunities. By working with those responsible for public procurement in their countries, this TA will also enhance regional cooperation between procurement policy practitioners as they work collectively to overcome common challenges with supporting SMEs through public procurement. DELIVERABLES Group By: Pillar DELIVERABLESWITHOUTSUBTASK Name Lead Type Completion Date Processing Type Modification Since last Milestone Status Toolkits for doing business with the government Training workshop Nazaneen Ismail Ali Nazaneen Ismail Ali Advisory Advisory 30-May-2017(A) 31-Jan-2017(A) DR Not Required DR Not Required New New Completed Completed Comments SMEs play a critical role in economic growth, development, and diversification. There are substantial benefits to both governments and SMEs when they interact via public procurement. Below are recent accomplishments of the MENA Procurement Team to facilitate the participation of SMEs in public procurement markets. Activity 1: Open Dialogue and Multi-Country Knowledge Exchange on SME Participation: In November 2013, a workshop for MENA Regional Network of Public Procurement Experts (representatives from 8 MENA countries[1]) in Tunisia on SME on role of SMEs in MENA and the challenges they face in entering public procurement markets. Participants learned that 95% of firms are SMEs in MENA, and that they make up 30-70% of the private labor force. In addition, SMEs, create jobs, spur competition and innovation, and can provide better service and pricing. However, SMEs face several challenges, with a lack of capital a primary one. Another session focused on the opportunities and challenges for SMEs vis-à-vis public procurement, and shared international experiences. In general, country have traditionally looked at three general approaches to supporting SMES in public procurement: 1. Removing barriers to entry. Through providing financing, training, and access to information (on things like upcoming procurement opportunities), SMEs can become better equipped to participate in public procurement processes. 2. Structuring Procurement for SME Participation. The manner in which procurements are structured can have a large impact on an SME s ability to participate. Some countries, like the USA, seek to avoid bundling certain types of contracts together to allow SMEs the opportunity to compete. In the EU, SMEs are supported by Mar 05, 2018 Page 4 of 18

5 allowing larger contracts to be awarded on the bases of smaller packages or lots as well. In addition, the requirements to participate in bidding can be relaxed to make it easier for SMEs to engage in public procurement. 3. Providing Preferences in Procurement. Some countries also will reserve/set aside certain procurements, or provide preferential treatment to SMEs for certain types of procurements. In the USA, these are among the tools used to help them achieve their goal of having 23% of public contracts going to SMEs (a goal which attracts the attention of high-level authorities in the government). These are the most effective methods for ensuring SMEs win contracts, but there are concerns with their implementation, such as if they violate international trade agreements, what this does to competition and pricing, undermining procurement, and increasing the risk of fraud while decreasing transparency. The experience from Mexico was shared with the participants, in addition to the intuitional and legal frameworks they have set up to support SMEs, they also employ myriad operational tools to assist SMEs, such as actively promoting or publicizing SME participation in public procurement (by setting goals and involving the press), establishing methodologies and quotas for government purchasers, monitoring the level of SME contracts and rewarding government agencies that do well, providing training (including professionalization) and financing to SMEs, and offering access to information through an e-portal (which they consider to be the backbone of their efforts to support SMEs). In addition, they have seen great success through holding Procurement Expos where all government agencies send representatives to discuss with SMEs the upcoming needs they have over the coming year. This also provides them a great deal of cheap media coverage. The experience from Mexico showed the need to balance efficiency versus the desire to build up local sectors. In sectors where SMEs are too weak to compete, providing SMEs a reserve or set aside of government contracts may be an appropriate tool. However, in well-functioning sectors, a more market-based approach can focus on helping to remove barriers to entry for SMEs and allowing them to increase the level of competition. The workshop hosted a panel from seven representatives from SMEs in the region, gave a brief introduction, and highlighted the key issues from their perspective pertaining to public procurement. Following the introductions, the SME representatives each sat a table and were engaged in several rounds of discussions with a small number of the members of the Network. A summary of the key points was presented and included: Specific laws needed to address issues encountered by SMEs (such as introducing a maximum period of payment following by penalties when exceeded, replacing bid securities, etc.) Need for more transparency and access to information, including on bidding opportunities and being informed of reasons why contracts are lost to help build capacity Establishing training, including coaching and e-learning, for SMEs on how to bid (including countries sharing their experiences with encouraging SME participation) Fighting against a discrimination of local products and the perception that international products are of a higher quality Need for a clear definition of SMEs in the region Overcoming Bank unwillingness to finance SMEs and tenders (can do up to 80% but Bank requires additional collateral) Need for better technical specifications in bidding documents Appeals body for tenders at any level Outreach/single stop shop managed by the private sector to provide assistance and counseling to businesses Mar 05, 2018 Page 5 of 18

6 In addition; a survey of SME procurement issues to identify the obstacles facing SMEs in entering the public procurement market was conducted; the graph below indicates that inadequate capacity of SMEs to participate, delayed payments and fragmentation and gaps in legal framework for public procurement are the top 3 obstacles for SMEs inhibit SMEs access to public contracts in MENA Countries At the end of the workshop and inspired by the practices used for encouraging SME participation in procurement shared by experts from the US and Mexico during the workshop, a subcommittee led by Tunisia on encouraging SME participation in public procurement was established. This subcommittee s first agreement was to establish a capacity building program for SMEs in the region to teach them how to prepare competitive bids for government-financed tenders. In addition, the group will review the different practices across the region for SMEs, suggest a common definition for SMEs, increase consultation with SMEs at the country level, and prepare best practices for supporting SMEs. Activity 2: Capacity Building for MENA SMEs to Enter into Public Procurement: a regional capacity building program aimed at increasing SME participation in public procurement processes designed for the SMEs, to provide them exposure and knowledge on where to find opportunities for public contracts, how to prepare bids that respond to the requirements, what processes and procedures must be followed. Accomplishments under this activity were made in cooperation with the SME subcommittee of MENA Network included the following activities: - Development and finalization of generic training materials and toolkit for doing business with the government in consultation and incorporating feedbacks from MENA Regional Network of Public Procurement Experts - Partnering with local capacity to deliver results, training institutions in each country were identified to ensure the sustainability of the regional capacity building program, - Customization of training materials and toolkit per each country s legal and institutional arrangements - Delivery of training of trainers workshop (Sharjah UAE in June 2014) in cooperation with Arab Administrative Development Organization (ARADO),[1] - Delivery of series of workshops in each country by the countries training institutions; - Dissemination of the toolkits Below are the accomplishments made under the regional capacity building program: a. Face-to Face trainings: 73 trainings were delivered in 23 cities across 9 countries, reaching 1513 SMEs. Trainees came from a variety of sectors ranging from IT services, industry, design, pharmaceutical, and banking. 1. In Egypt, the General Authority for Government Services partnered with a training institute to deliver 20 workshops in 16 different cities reaching 402 SMEs. 2. In Morocco, Agence Nationale pour la Promotion des Petites et Moyennes Entreprises Maroc PME targeted 121 SMEs in 3 cities delivering 6 workshops. 3. In Tunisia, Centre National de Formation des Formateurs et d Ingénierie de Formation organized 11 workshops across the country targeting 272 SMEs. 4. In Lebanon the Institute of Finance has put together an impressive program in partnership with Ecole Supérieure des Affaires (ESA), a private business school. The launch of the program in March 2017 was covered by 10 local newspapers and 4 TV channels. Lebanon s program will also feature an impact evaluation component, to track how successful the participating companies are in winning bids. 5 workshops were delivered for 55 SMEs. 5. In the Palestinian Territories, the High Council of Public Procurement Policies has elected to partner with Birzeit University to disseminate 12 sessions for 210 local SMEs. Other countries benefited from the materials prepared under this program and delivered training workshops in their respective supported by other programs such as: Mar 05, 2018 Page 6 of 18

7 1. In Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRG), the Kurdistan Contractors Union collaborated with the Ministry of Planning to deliver 10 workshops across four cities, targeting 284 SMEs. 2. In Djibouti, the Chamber of Commerce coordinated with the National Commission on Government Procurement to deliver 6 workshops for 109 SMEs. 3. In Yemen, in spite of very difficult circumstances on the ground, the High Authority for Tender Control and Elite for training and Consulting institute delivered3 successful workshops in3 cities in 2015 for 45 SMEs. 4. In Qatar, in collaboration with the Qatar Development Bank as part of a RAS program, training materials were customized and a workshop was delivered to 15 SMEs. Toolkits for doing business with the government: to equip SMEs with the skills needed to compete more effectively in public procurement markets and enable them to overcome competition and political economy issues that are currently hindering their full participation in public procurement markets. The toolkit includes information such as notions on the procurement cycle, registration eligibility requirements and procedures, where to find procurement and financing opportunities and which institutions to approach, check lists on how to prepare good bids, clarification on pre-/post-qualifications requirements and administrative requirements, procurement regulations, institutions involved in the procurement cycle, frequently asked questions (bid securities, bid bonds, performance securities, etc.), contracts and contracts management, procedures to file complaints, and instructions on how to solve disputes (mediation, adjudication or arbitrations means). A generic toolkit in 3 languages (Arabic, English and French) was prepared by the World Bank, and each country carried out the development of this toolkit in 3 phases: (1) customization, (2) dissemination, (3) monitor and evaluation of impact: 1. In Morocco, 10,000 toolkits were printed and distributed during dissemination events in Rabat, Casablanca and Tanger, and were largely covered by the media. The Toolkit was also disseminated online through massive ing operations, and dedicated webpage where it can be downloaded. 2. In Lebanon, the toolkit was customized and peer-reviewed by a team of experts and practitioners from the public and private sectors as well as by selected SMEs. It was published in partnership with the Central Tender Board. The toolkit was made available in electronic and paper formats with 20,500 copies. The dissemination, physically and virtually, included various communication channels targeting SMEs and organizations that actively support SMEs development: (i) promotional flyers, (ii) posters, (iii) roll-ups, (iv) press ads with copies of the toolkits distributed with 3 leading business magazine, (v) press releases, (vi) Introductory letters addressed to more than 200 private sector organizations, economic instances and syndicates, NGOs, business developers and incubators that deal with SMEs, as well as to public administrations and institutions, press, parliamentarians and ministers, along with a copy of the toolkit, (vii) copies available at selected points of interest.. the toolkit was also promoted online on social media outlets (Facebook, Twitter and Linked In). A short video was compiled gathering feedback from SMEs that were exposed to the toolkit, using a before/after concept and approach. 3. In Tunisia, 500 toolkits, available in French and Arabic, have been distributed. Regional events were organized in 4 cities with massive ing operations and SMS (25,000). The toolkit was also promoted online. Other countries benefited from the generic toolkit prepared under this program and customized the toolkit per their countries contexts such as: 1. In Kurdistan Region of Iraq under RAS program, 5,000 toolkits were distributed in cooperation with the Kurdistan Contractor's Union and is available online. 2. In Qatar under another RAS program, the customized toolkit is completed and dissemination is soon. 1. Toolkit to enable SME participation in providing essential infrastructure in fragility, conflict and violence-affected states was prepared financed by PPIAF. The purpose of the toolkit is to assist policymakers and practitioners in government to create an enabling environment for SMEs to be engaged in Mar 05, 2018 Page 7 of 18

8 private sector participation initiatives (e.g., public-private partnerships (PPPs)) in countries affected by fragility, conflict and violence (FCV), and thereby generate benefits for delivery of essential services, recovery and reconstruction, regional job creation, SME growth and competitiveness, and shared prosperity. The toolkit benefited from feedback of government s officials from 13 countries and their comments were incorporated before finalization of the toolkit. The toolkit was reviewed in Beirut in October 2016 with 24 participants from 11 countries in MENA, AFR, and ECA. Activity 3: Enhancing SME Access to the Public Procurement Market in MENA though Electronic Means: An intergovernmental subcommittee, led by representatives from the Government of Morocco, is spearheading the portal s development process. Specific plans to launch a pilot of the e-portal for public procurement by May 2014, which will provide an online workspace to facilitate sharing best practices and documents between countries and will serve as the foundation for creating a regional bid advertising system, which will help to open more opportunities to SMEs by making procurement data even more transparent. As a response, the Procurement Network developed a regional e-portal to serve as an electronic tool for their governments to; i) allows Procurement Network to share news and documents, engage in online conversations, find public procurement experts, ii) be available in 3 main languages of the region (English, French, Arabic), iii) enable searching for bidding opportunities in one place for participating countries in the region, iv) increase competition and collaboration among firms. Link to the website is: However, the use of electronic means in public procurement is an area of a major challenge facing the MENA region that resulted in uneven progress across countries in using and uploading the information on the portal. [1] ARADO a non-profit organization affiliated with the League of Arab States founded with the mandate of promoting and advancing administrative development in the Arab region. ARADO is based in Cairo with a branch in Sharji - UAE. [1] The MENA Regional Network of Procurement Experts was established based on the recommendations from representatives from the twelve (8) MENA countries in attendance at the MENA Regional Procurement Conference in Tunis in December It was formed to facilitate exchange and knowledge sharing among procurement practitioners in the region and to support the development and harmonization of public procurement reform efforts through establishing a proper platform for such exchange. Though the initiative received support from World Bank, it is country-led and countrydriven. A first meeting of a core group of practitioners nominated by their governments convened on June 18-19, 2013 in Marseille, where its charter and priority actions were agreed upon. The countries are; Morocco, Egypt, Lebanon, Palestinian Authority, Tunisia, Yemen, Jordan, Djibouti DELIVERABLE DOCUMENTS Document Title Document Type Document Date Classification Deliverable: Toolkits for doing business with the government Lebanon toolkit Report 01/05/2018 Official use only Tunisia toolkit Report 01/05/2018 Official use only Mar 05, 2018 Page 8 of 18

9 Morocco TOOLKIT FINAL Report 02/08/2018 Official use only Deliverable: Training workshop Completion report-june 2015-Egypt Report 02/08/2018 Official use only Completion report-june Lebanon Report 02/08/2018 Official use only Completion report-june Morocco Report 02/08/2018 Official use only Completion report-june Palestine Report 02/08/2018 Official use only Completion report-june Tunisia Report 02/08/2018 Official use only AGE AND BUDGET Activity Age in Months (See Annex A for details) AgeSection At Concept Package Sign-off (Track 2) Actual Budget (See Annex B for details) Source of Fund At Concept Package Sign-off (Track 2) Actual Expenditure Bank Trust Fund 650, ,616 Bank Budget Grand Total Direct Cost 650, ,275 Comments No comments have been entered RESULTS Do you want to track result indicators for this activity? Yes Mar 05, 2018 Page 9 of 18

10 Outcome Indicators Intermediate Outcome Indicators Contributed to stakeholder involvement Unit of Measure: Text Contributed to stakeholder involvement Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Status Value N/A N/A No Change Date 05-Feb Jun-2018 Disseminated best practices Unit of Measure: Text Disseminated best practices Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Status Value N/A N/A No Change Date 05-Feb Jun-2018 Facilitated exchange of best practice w/ clients Unit of Measure: Text Facilitated exchange of best practice w/ clients Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Status Value N/A N/A No Change Date 05-Feb Jun-2018 Mar 05, 2018 Page 10 of 18

11 Government policy/strategy informed Unit of Measure: Text Government policy/strategy informed Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Status Value N/A N/A No Change Date 05-Feb Jun-2018 Implementation capacity strengthened Unit of Measure: Text Implementation capacity strengthened Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Status Value N/A N/A No Change Date 05-Feb Jun-2018 Output Indicators No indicators have been added Overall Comments No comments have been entered ASSESSMENT Development Effectiveness Rating Satisfactory(5) Outcomes Based on the results of the knowledge tests for the 73-workshops delivered in 9 countries, it can be concluded that the program had high impact on the beneficiaries: the percentage of participants who was able to provide right answers to the basic procurement questions increased dramatically. in Morocco, Lebanon and Tunisia thousands of Toolkit for Doing Business with the Government- Guidance to SMEs were printed, distributed, and posted on line. Other countries benefited from the generic toolkit Mar 05, 2018 Page 11 of 18

12 prepared under this program and customized the toolkit per their countries contexts such as: Kurdistan Region of Iraq under RAS program and Qatar under another RAS program, The project was successful in enhancing the understanding of SMEs of public procurement terms and conditions, technical, administrative, legal and financial aspects. It was also a platform to get acquainted with international good practices implemented by governments worldwide to encourage the participation of SMEs in public bidding. Lessons Learned Looking forward, and based on the recommendations voiced by partnering institutions in the countries: 1. Build on the successful experience of the capacity building program and establish partnerships with economic instances, professional associations and incubators to create a multiplier effect and target a larger number of SMEs. 2. Support dialogue and awareness-raising on the importance of private sector engagement in public procurement modernization. 3. Support awareness to procurement officials in governmental entities on the strategic role of public procurement in the country s economic and social development and how to facilitate SMEs participation in wining governmental contracts. 4. The use of wide dissemination strategy, both virtually and physically were essential elements in delivering the toolkit to SMEs. The dissemination strategy targeted at private sector organizations such as chambers of commerce, banks, incubators, accelerators, etc. that actively support SMEs developments as well as public sector institutions and policymakers, to ensure countrywide coverage. 5. The collaboration with local training partners was key factor to implement the program successfully for adapting, customizing, delivering, and disseminating the capacity building program in 9 countries in the region 6. The production of a set of marketing communication material (posters, roll-ups, set-up of a dedicated webpage, online campaign, etc.) to promote the capacity building program and toolkits were key factors to retain the attention and interest of the private sector ANNEX A. DETAILED SCHEDULE Name Original Revised at the last milestone Latest Planned Actual Mar 05, 2018 Page 12 of 18

13 ANNEX B. DETAILED BUDGET Budget Plan vs Actual (USD) Cumulative Budget Current FY (2018) Source of Fund Activity Plan Actual Expenditure to Date Actual vs Plan (%) Activity Plan WPA Plan Expenditure (YTD) WPA Burn Rate (%) Bank Trust Fund 650, , ,700 0 Bank Budget Budget Plan (USD) Costing Do you want to plan the budget by FY? Yes Do you want to plan your budget by Subtasks? Source of Fund Cumulative Budget Grand Total Grand Total Direct Cost 650,000 Bank Trust Fund 650,000 ANNEX C. DELIVERABLES DETAILS Not Categorized Deliverable Name Toolkits for doing business with the government Decision Review Required? No Mar 05, 2018 Page 13 of 18

14 Status Completed Planned Completion Date 30-May-2017 Lead Nazaneen Ismail Ali Deliverable Creation Date 05-Jan-2018 Actual Delivery Date 30-Jun-2017 Type of deliverable Advisory Provide a brief description of the deliverable Toolkits for doing business with the government: to equip SMEs with the skills needed to compete more effectively in public procurement markets for Morocco, Lebanon and Tunisia Provide a brief summary of outputs before recommending decision review of the deliverable (if needed) or changing its status to Completed. If applicable, include links to external documents and websites. Toolkits for doing business with the government: to equip SMEs with the skills needed to compete more effectively in public procurement markets and enable them to overcome competition and political economy issues that are currently hindering their full participation in public procurement markets. The toolkit includes information such as notions on the procurement cycle, registration eligibility requirements and procedures, where to find procurement and financing opportunities and which institutions to approach, check lists on how to prepare good bids, clarification on pre-/post-qualifications requirements and administrative requirements, procurement regulations, institutions involved in the procurement cycle, frequently asked questions (bid securities, bid bonds, performance securities, etc.), contracts and contracts management, procedures to file complaints, and instructions on how to solve disputes (mediation, adjudication or arbitrations means). A generic toolkit in 3 languages (Arabic, English and French) was prepared by the World Bank, and each country carried out the development of this toolkit in 3 phases: (1) customization, (2) dissemination, (3) monitor and evaluation of impact: 1. In Morocco, 10,000 toolkits were printed and distributed during dissemination events in Rabat, Casablanca and Tanger, and were largely covered by the media. The Toolkit was also disseminated online through massive ing operations, and dedicated webpage where it can be downloaded. 2. In Lebanon, the toolkit was customized and peer-reviewed by a team of experts and practitioners from the public and private sectors as well as by selected SMEs. It was published in partnership with the Central Tender Board. The toolkit was made available in electronic and paper formats with 20,500 copies. The dissemination, physically and virtually, included various communication channels targeting SMEs and organizations that actively support SMEs development: (i) promotional flyers, (ii) posters, (iii) roll-ups, (iv) press ads with copies of the toolkits distributed with 3 leading business magazine, (v) press releases, (vi) Introductory letters addressed to more than 200 private sector organizations, economic instances and syndicates, NGOs, business developers and incubators that deal with SMEs, as well as to public administrations and institutions, press, parliamentarians and ministers, along with a copy of the toolkit, (vii) copies available at selected points of interest.. the toolkit was also promoted Mar 05, 2018 Page 14 of 18

15 online on social media outlets (Facebook, Twitter and Linked In). A short video was compiled gathering feedback from SMEs that were exposed to the toolkit, using a before/after concept and approach. 3. In Tunisia, 500 toolkits, available in French and Arabic, have been distributed. Regional events were organized in 4 cities with massive ing operations and SMS (25,000). The toolkit was also promoted online. Other countries benefited from the generic toolkit prepared under this program and customized the toolkit per their countries contexts such as: 1. In Kurdistan Region of Iraq under RAS program, 5,000 toolkits were distributed in cooperation with the Kurdistan Contractor's Union and is available online. 2. In Qatar under another RAS program, the customized toolkit is completed and dissemination is soon. Not Categorized Deliverable Name Training workshop Status Completed Planned Completion Date Decision Review Required? No Deliverable Creation Date 05-Jan-2018 Actual Delivery Date 31-Jan-2017 Lead Nazaneen Ismail Ali 30-Jun-2017 Type of deliverable Advisory Provide a brief description of the deliverable Regional capacity building program aimed at increasing SME participation in public procurement processes designed for the SMEs, to provide them exposure and knowledge on where to find opportunities for public contracts, how to prepare bids that respond to the requirements, what processes and procedures must be followed Provide a brief summary of outputs before recommending decision review of the deliverable (if needed) or changing its status to Completed. If applicable, include links to external documents and websites. Capacity Building for MENA SMEs to Enter into Public Procurement: a regional capacity building program aimed at increasing SME participation in public procurement processes designed for the SMEs, to provide them exposure and knowledge on where to find opportunities for public contracts, how to prepare bids that respond to the requirements, what processes and procedures must be followed. Accomplishments under this Mar 05, 2018 Page 15 of 18

16 activity were made in cooperation with the SME subcommittee of MENA Network included the following activities: - Development and finalization of generic training materials and toolkit for doing business with the government in consultation and incorporating feedbacks from MENA Regional Network of Public Procurement Experts - Partnering with local capacity to deliver results, training institutions in each country were identified to ensure the sustainability of the regional capacity building program, - Customization of training materials and toolkit per each country s legal and institutional arrangements - Delivery of training of trainers workshop (Sharjah UAE in June 2014) in cooperation with Arab Administrative Development Organization (ARADO),[1] - Delivery of series of workshops in each country by the countries training institutions; in total: 73 trainings were delivered in 23 cities across 9 countries, reaching 1513 SMEs. Trainees came from a variety of sectors ranging from IT services, industry, design, pharmaceutical, and banking. 1. In Egypt, the General Authority for Government Services partnered with a training institute to deliver 20 workshops in 16 different cities reaching 402 SMEs. 2. In Morocco, Agence Nationale pour la Promotion des Petites et Moyennes Entreprises Maroc PME targeted 121 SMEs in 3 cities delivering 6 workshops. 3. In Tunisia, Centre National de Formation des Formateurs et d Ingénierie de Formation organized 11 workshops across the country targeting 272 SMEs. 4. In Lebanon the Institute of Finance has put together an impressive program in partnership with Ecole Supérieure des Affaires (ESA), a private business school. The launch of the program in March 2017 was covered by 10 local newspapers and 4 TV channels. Lebanon s program will also feature an impact evaluation component, to track how successful the participating companies are in winning bids. 5 workshops were delivered for 55 SMEs. 5. In the Palestinian Territories, the High Council of Public Procurement Policies has elected to partner with Birzeit University to disseminate 12 sessions for 210 local SMEs. Other countries benefited from the materials prepared under this program and delivered training workshops in their respective supported by other programs such as: 1. In Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRG), the Kurdistan Contractors Union collaborated with the Ministry of Planning to deliver 10 workshops across four cities, targeting 284 SMEs. 2. In Djibouti, the Chamber of Commerce coordinated with the National Commission on Government Procurement to deliver 6 workshops for 109 SMEs. Mar 05, 2018 Page 16 of 18

17 3. In Yemen, in spite of very difficult circumstances on the ground, the High Authority for Tender Control and Elite for training and Consulting institute delivered3 successful workshops in3 cities in 2015 for 45 SMEs. 4. In Qatar, in collaboration with the Qatar Development Bank as part of a RAS program, training materials were customized and a workshop was delivered to 15 SMEs. [1] ARADO a non-profit organization affiliated with the League of Arab States founded with the mandate of promoting and advancing administrative development in the Arab region. ARADO is based in Cairo with a branch in Sharji - UAE. ANNEX D. CLIENTS Clients or Audience Does this activity have a client? Yes Organizations & Contacts General Treasury of the Kingdom of Morocco, Morocco Contacts Mr. Abdellatif Jari ABDELLATIF.JARI@tgr.gov.ma; abdellatifjari@gmail.com Survey Participation: Yes Institute of Finance Parastatal/Independent Government Institute, Activity Leadership/Oversight Mar 05, 2018 Page 17 of 18

18 Lebanon Contacts Sabine HATEM KHALIL Economist Survey Participation: Yes Haute instance de la commande publique, Tunisia Contacts Mr. Khaled El Arbi Survey Participation: Yes Birzeit University Academia/Research Institute/Think Tank, Activity Leadership/Oversight West Bank and Gaza Contacts Center for Continuing Education Birzeit university Survey Participation: Yes Mar 05, 2018 Page 18 of 18