CLA Drives Breakthrough Changes in Public Procurement

The USAID Transparent, Effective and Accountable Municipalities (USAID TEAM) activity in Kosovo is a five-year project (January 2017-2022) to improve procurement effectiveness and transparency through varying levels of support to all 38 Kosovo municipalities. The project deploys an adaptive systems approach, in response to a deliberate CLA program design which calls for adaptive management and "translating new learning and shifts in context into iterative course correction in strategy and implementation.” The budget is cost-reimuburseable, with an award fee based on 10 six-month evaluation periods. To date, USAID TEAM has successfully implemented many adaptive management tools, such as: after action review following major activities, regular learning sessions with USAID TEAM counterparts, learning summits with counterparts and economic stakeholders, pause and reflect sessions, and the use of rapid political economy analysis integrated with other organizational assessment and corruption vulnerability tools. Results within the first two years include three major and relatively quick shifts in program activities, leading to: full adoption of a transparent e-procurement system previously on the verge of collapse; voluntary publication of over 1521 procurement contracts by 21 municipalities, initiated through identified reform champions; and positive shift in previously accepted norms of corrupt behavior by government officials.