While most of the country was staying home in the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, Kosovo government institutions could effectively provide goods and services to citizens thanks to the electronic procurement (e-procurement) platform.  Developed with the support of USAID’s Transparent, Effective, and Accountable Municipalities activity, e-procurement allows all public institutions to conduct procurement activities online, from drafting the tender dossiers and publishing calls for application, to bid applications, bid evaluation, bid protests, and the signing of contracts. 

This platform was particularly key during the COVID-19 pandemic, as it allowed institutions to purchase life-saving medical supplies including personal protective equipment, PCR tests for COVID-19, and antibiotics for the University Clinical Center of Kosovo, regional hospitals, and local family medical centers, without unnecessary risk.  According to the Public Procurement Regulatory Commission (PPRC) in the period between March and September of this year, contracting authorities conducted around 4,000 procurement activities using the e-procurement system, out of which 400 contracts with a combined value of €50 million provided medical supplies for staff and patients in need.  

Referring to the impact of e-procurement, a PPRC Board Member, Sami Uka said, “The use of e-procurement does not only promote transparency, it has proven its effectiveness and necessity by allowing uninterrupted procurements during the pandemic.  Without the e-procurement, our system would be chaotic and even collapse during movement restrictions.”