CLDP, in partnership with the Public Procurement Regulatory Commission of Kosovo (PPRC), held a Workshop on International Best Practices in Public Procurement in Pristina, Kosovo. The program featured procurement experts from the U.S. Department of Commerce, the Public Procurement Regulatory Commission of Kosovo, and the U.S. Office of Management and Budget to discuss a wide range of topics, including: (1) how the WTO Government Procurement Agreement (GPA) functions; (2) an overview of the procurement system in Kosovo; (3) an overview of the U.S. government procurement system, and that of U.S. state-owned enterprises; and (4) how the U.S. Government operates in the context of the GPA. The US Advisors for the program included Jennifer Swartz, Procurement Policy Analyst, Office of Federal Procurement Policy, U.S. Office of Management and Budget and Adam Boltik, International Trade Specialist, International Trade Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce.

In attendance were over 50 Kosovo public procurement officials, representative of various Kosovo agencies, ministries, and municipalities. The workshop not only addressed topics of particular interest to public procurement practitioners but also resulted in a discussion of current challenges and impediments to an effective and transparent public procurement regime in Kosovo.  CLDP’s workshop was able to provide a forum for an exchange of best practices in public procurement for Kosovo public procurement practitioners and to provide Kosovo with comprehensive information on how to meet international norms and standards in public procurement.