Public Procurement Reform in Lithuania

• Assessment of the capacity of the national public procurement workforce to identify challenges and training priorities
• Development of certification framework which consists of two levels (60-hour training courses in total)
• Development of professionalisation strategy
• Development of training materials for 14 courses (31-hour courses out of the total 60 hours required in the certification framework) and examinations in English and Lithuanian
• “Training of trainers” workshops (5 days) and pilot sessions (4 days) for 14 procurement courses to train 29 future trainers of the training courses in the certification framework
•  Assessment of the current six existing schemes/programmes related to public procurement for R&D services in order to modernise the procurement system of innovation and R&D

• 19-20 March 2018: Kick off meeting
• 27 July 2018: Presentation of the two draft reports (professionalisation and certification framework / modernizing the procurement of innovation and R&D)
• 4-9 November 2018:  “Training of trainers” workshops
• 7-11 January 2019: Pilot sessions for future trainers with trainees coming from different contracting authorities
• 13 March 2019: Closing event with the presence of the EU SRSS to discuss the main findings and recommendations with a wide group of interested national stakeholders. Presentation of the next steps and actions to address them by the Lithuanian authorities.

The project was comprised of the following two components:

• Component I: Evaluation of training needs, definition of training priorities and the development of training programmes

This component consists in establishing a professionalisation strategy and certification framework for the public procurement workforce in Lithuania.

As a starting point of this component, the OECD assessed the capacity and challenges of the public procurement workforce in order to define the training priorities: market analysis, technical specifications, award criteria, integrity and conflict of interest in public procurement, and strategic procurement (green procurement, SME development, innovation, and social responsibility). Built upon this assessment, the OECD designed a certification framework customized to the public procurement workforce in Lithuania, which consists of two levels: Basic and Advanced (in total, 60 hours of course requirement).

Then, the OECD developed training materials and examinations for 14 training courses that cover the procurement topics identified as training priorities.  The OECD organised 5-day “Training of trainers” workshops and 4-day pilot sessions to train 29 future trainers of the training courses set out in the certification framework.

The OECD also proposed professionalisation strategy tools to assist Lithuania in advancing the agenda of professionalisation of the public procurement workforce. These tools included methodological assistance, degree/internship program, community of practice, and one-stop shop procurement portal.

• Component II: Development and implementation of the integrated system of public procurement of R&D services.

This component consists in streamline the existing six schemes and mechanisms related to the public procurement of innovation and R&D services. The OECD analysed all the six existing schemes and mechanisms related to the public procurement of R&D services in order to recommend the proposals which contribute to modernising and streamlining the current mechanisms:

• National R&D Programmes (former National Science Programmes)
• Long-term institutional R&D programmes
• Pre-commercial Procurement scheme
• Innovative Public Procurement scheme
• Ministerial Orders for R&D services (Scheme for research and higher education institutions to purchase R&D services)
• Urgent and Required Research and Technology Orders (Need-based R&D Projects)