Compendium of Country Examples and Lessons Learned from ...

Based on the assessment reports provided, the following preliminary list of key considerations hasbeen developed which will help in co-ordinating and planning work.Scope of the assessmentWill baseline indicators and/or compliance/performance indicators be assessed? At which level willthe assessment take place (national and sub-national government, government agencies)? If the subnationallevel is to be covered, the Methodology has to be customised. How many/whichcompliance/performance indicators will be assessed?Stakeholder involvementHow will key stakeholders be sensitised and engaged in the assessment process (e.g. letters,workshops, meetings). How many/which donors/stakeholders will participate/will be interviewed inthe assessment of the baseline indicators? How many/which donors/stakeholders will be involved togather data for the CPIs? Who are the key focal points within the stakeholder organisations?Identifying a qualified team of assessorsIdentifying a qualified team of assessors is critical to the credibility and reliability of the exercise.Assessors should have ample knowledge of the institutional and operational aspects of the subject andof internationally accepted procurement practice. They should be familiar with the assessment tool toensure consistency in its application. Assessors, if external to the government, should work with acounterpart government team in order to develop its capacity to conduct future assessments and tofacilitate access to information.InterviewsInterviews will be needed to gather facts for assessing the baseline indicators. Interviews should bestructured well in advance. For the BLIs, the preparation should include an overview of information tobe collected. A matrix of sub-indicators containing the information required and potential informantscould be useful. Interview appointments should be made with sufficient notice clarifying theobjectives of the assessment (e.g. specifying that the assessment is not an audit). Evidence gathered inthe interviews should be summarised and used later in the narrative report. Lastly, interviews orsurveys are useful to collect opinions when addressing the CPIs.Availability of data for CPIsWhat are the best sources of data needed to measure compliance and performance? Is the required dataavailable (statistics, procurement records)? What is the cost/benefit analysis of collecting the data?How much data collection is required and what sampling approach will be used?Validation processAs stated in the Methodology, 10 in the case of a government self-assessment exercise, a validationprocess that involves the government and active donors interested in the procurement system will beneeded to contribute to the transparency and credibility of the process. The validation exerciseprovides an opportunity to agree on assigned scores, reform priorities and a shared strategy towardscapacity development initiatives to address key weaknesses in the system.10Methodology for Assessment of National Procurement Systems, paragraph 20.COMPENDIUM OF COUNTRY EXAMPLES AND LESSONS LEARNED […] - OECD 2008 19