The project aimed at strengthening of civil society pressure on the authorities of the countries of the Western Balkans, in order to establish an efficient system of public procurement and accountability in the expenditure of public funds. The project aimed to raise the level of understanding of the conditions and requirements of the EU concerning the management of public procurement. Also, it created a simple tool that will allow greater involvement of civil society and other stakeholders in decision-making and management control of public funds. in addition, regional mechanism for monitoring of public procurement by civil society was created.

Through this project, partner organizations developed methodology for effective monitoring of the work, pin-pointing malpractices and evaluation of the performance of the existing PP systems in respective WB countries. The analysis of the policies, legislation and practices, as well as monitoring results served as a basis for policy recommendations aimed at advancing institutional arrangements and their functioning, i.e. implementation. The recommendations were drafted through an inclusive process of on-going consultations with relevant stakeholders at “real-time” national and regional round tables or through exchanges carried out via erected on-line platform balkantenderwatch.eu. The advocacy activities and grassroots lobbing aimed at strengthening demands for strict implementation of policies and legislation already harmonized with EU requirements and standards; promotion and gathering support for drafted recommendation concerning the need of fulfilling the gaps in the present PP systems which impede their effectiveness and threaten their efficiency. This endeavor will enable CSOs to improve and intensify their activities and engage in an informed dialogue with decision makers. It will serve to test declared political will of the governments to open decision-making process for the participation of all interested actors.

The lead implementing organization of the project is Open Society Foundation Serbia, and the partners of the project are: Open Society Fund Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Center for Civil Communications, Macedonia, The Network for Affirmation of the NGO Sector – MANS, Montenegro, Center for Development of the non-profit sector, Serbia, and Open Society Foundation Slovakia.

Increase micro and small enterprise (MSE) awareness of the opportunities offered by the public procurement (PP) market; provide MSEs with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to participate more in government contracting; and streamline public procurement administrative procedures that inhibit MSE participation in government contracting.

Project components:

Проектот треба да им овозможи на македонските новинари поголемо и поефективно користење на јавно достапните информации во насока на унапредување на квалитетот на информирањето и промовирање на слободата на изразувањето и независноста на медиуми.  
Проектот е финансиран од ЕУ преку Европскиот инструмент за демократија и човекови права (ЕИДХР), а се спроведува во партнерство со Access Info Europe од Шпанија и Балканската истражувачка мрежа на новинари - БИРН од Македонија.

Проектот развива механизми за зголемување на транспарентноста, отчетноста и одговорноста на локалните самоуправи во Македонија, поттикнување на поголемо учество на граѓаните и на локалната бизнис заедница во процесот на одлучување во локалните самоуправи и размена на најдобри практики и искуства меѓу опшините како во земјава, така и во регионот. Проектните активности придонесуваат кон намалување на нивото на корупција во локалните заедници и кон засилување на довербата на граѓаните и бизнис претставниците во локалните власти.