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Making public procurement SMEs friendly in the MENA countries Olga Savran OECD-MENA Investment Programme 20 September 2012, Caserta, Italy. SMEs in public procurement. Great potential for development and growth
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Making public procurement SMEs friendly in the MENA countriesOlga SavranOECD-MENA Investment Programme20 September 2012, Caserta, Italy
SMEs in public procurement • Great potential for development and growth • Little involvement due to capacity constrains - subcontractors and framework agreements • High integrity risks – vulnerability to solicitation, low capacity for integrity responses
SMEs in MENA countries • Important players in productivity growth, innovation and job creation • but slower growth in the MENA region • Opportunities and obstacles for high growth • Regulatory environment, access to finance, skills, other
MENA-OECD Investment Programme, working group on SME policy discussed various issues, high growth, enterprise development, women entepreneruship and other issues on job creation and other avenues for SME development • will develop country-specific policy recommendations • In this context government procurement was mentioned • at its meeting on 17 July 2012 in Rome called upon governments: • to ensure that government procurement and tenders’ regulations do not put SMEs at a disadvantage; and called for adopting an “SME mindset”
Towards an action plan • Clear policy objective, e.g. 10% target of contracts awarded to SMEs • Facilitate access to finance, e.g. 20% of total financing needs for SME implemented projects from grants, funds, guarantee schemes • Simplify regulations, e.g. reduce the time spent for PP procedures by 20 % • Business support to train/inform SMEs, e.g. about pp procedures, risks of corruption, complaints mechanisms
Involving stakeholders • Listen to/talk to/study the practices of SMEs • From formalistic councils to open dialogue • Continuous examination of progress • Undue pressure from interest groups • E-platforms; surveys; government capacity to analyse, provide transparent information and facilitate dialogue
MENA-OECD Investment Programme • Working Group on SME policy, entrepreneurship and human capital development • MENA Business Integrity Network • Regional exchange of experience, best practices and benchmarking for business representatives • Private-public dialogue on practical measures to promote integrity in public procurement
Thank you for your attention www.oecd.org/daf/psd