Workshop on “Electronic Asset Declaration Systems to Maximize Transparency”

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In the framework of the USAID Albania project, Transparency in the Health System THE, AIS, as a local partner in the project, organized a workshop with Inspectors from the High Inspectorate for the Declaration and Audit of Assets and Conflict of Interests. The workshop on Models of Best Practices of Electronic Systems of Assets Declaration for increased Transparency and was held was held on the 29th of October in Tirana. Law No. 42/2017 on amendments to the Law on the Declaration and Audit of Assets, Financial Obligations of elected persons and some civil servants” provides now for online declaration and publication of assets by high-level officials and elected people. The purpose of this workshop was to enhance the capacity and share knowledge about the challenges associated with the use of an online declaration system.

Law No. 42/2017 “On the Declaration and Audit of Assets, Financial Obligations of Elected Persons and Certain Public Officials”, Article 16, foresees the publication of the statements of private interests in the official website of the Institution, in accordance with the legal framework on the right to information and protection of personal data. Considering the publication of these data should be in compliance with integrity, control and accountability as foreseen by the legal framework, we view the training on challenges and issues related to the online submission and publication of the asset declaration as a major asset, that would enhance the knowledge, raise capacity and prepare the technical staff of HIDAACI on possible issues on publication of confidential, personal and edited data, in compliance with the applicable law on the right to information and protection of personal data.

Workshop intended results:

  1. Expanded knowledge about the challenges of online publication of the declarations;
  2. Enhanced competencies, knowledge and capacity of HIDAACI officials regarding best practices of asset declaration systems, practices that help maximise transparency;
  3. Information about publication standards in line with the legal framework, regarding integrity and accountability;
  4. Deeper knowledge about the algorithmic instruments used to assess risk and calculate discrepancies;
  5. Increased competencies, knowledge and capacity regarding methods for structuring information on the internet for ease of use (search and re-use).

Expected Outputs:

Upon completion of this event, the HIDAACI staff is expected to have benefitted the following:

  1. Enhanced knowledge on the challenges of online publication of the declarations and how to successfully overcome them;
  2. Increased competencies, knowledge and capacities among HIDAACI’s officials on best practices of asset declaration systems that can help maximize transparency;
  3. Enhanced information on publication standards in compliance with the legal framework, regarding integrity and accountability;
  4. Deeper knowledge on algorithmic instruments that assess risk and calculate discrepancies;
  5. Increased competencies, knowledge and capacities on methods for structuring online information for ease of use (search and re-use).

The training materials can be accessed in the following link:

  • Training Curricula (PDF)
  • Comparative Desk Research (PDF)
  • Projection of an Asset Declaration System with Online Submission and Publication (PDF)
  • Best practice/s from similar asset declaration systems (PDF)
  • Publication standards in compliance with the legal framework (PDF)

Transparency in Health Engagement project is made possible by the generous support of the American people through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) under the terms of its Contract.

Agreement Number: Contract Number: AID-182-C-17-00001 (USAID/ Transparency in Health Engagement Project held by prime recipient University Research Company, LLC (URC) and by sub-recipient Albania Institute of Science (AIS), Tetra Tech, and Boston University.

The Transparency in Health Engagement project is funded and managed by the USAID/Albania.

Kërkohet një specialist përpunim të dhënash Data Enter

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AIS është duke këkruar 1 ose 2 persona staf për përpunim të dhënash. Procesi i punës është i thjeshtë dhe lidhet me përgatitjen e databazave me të dhëna të shoqërive tregtare. Pozicioni i punë nuk ka lidhje me analizë apo përpunim statistikor.

Personi duhet të jetë i diplomuar (edhe trevjecar) në degët financë, kontabilitet, biznes apo juridik. Të ketë njohuri mbi të dhëna të regjistrit të biznesit (QKB) dhe nëse nuk ka njohuri të jetë i aftë të mësojë shpejt mbi përmbajtjen e një regjistri të tillë.

Ora e punës paguhet neto 250 lekë plus kosto të punësimit apo kontraktimit (tatim mbi të ardhurën personale, kontribute shoqërore dhe shëndetësore të detyrueshme).

Kandidati / Kandidatja do ti nënshtrohet një procesi prove.

Cilësitë: i aftë për të mësuar, nivel të lartë përqëndrimi, modest dhe i motivuar për të punuar, i aftë të punjë 8 orë në ditë. Email [email protected]

AIS conference on presenting red flag index for private contractors of public companies

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In the framework of its Promoting Transparency in Public Spending – Open Local Government Procurements  Project , AIS organized a press conference on 29 October in Voskopoja presenting are open procurement data of the Albanian Development Fund and red flag index for private contractors of public companies For Journalist working on the field in Albania. The tools presented to Journalist will help them to easly monitor and identify possible risk for corrupation. This project is supported by NED- National Endowement for Democracy .

 

DataThon 2018 – Si shpenzon Bashkia ku unë paguaj Taksa ?

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AIS, organizatë promotore për të dhëna të hapura dhe grant marrëse e programit Lëviz Albania organizon eventin DataThon 2018.

Slogan i eventit:           Si shpenzon Bashkia ku unë paguaj Taksa.

DataThon është një marathon dy ditore për të gjetur, analizuar, vizualizuar dhe shpjeguar me fakte të thjeshta, procese të buxhetimit, kontraktimit, prokurimit dhe të tjera, që lidhen me menaxhimin e parave publike nga Bashkitë.

Ftohen gazetar, aktivist, individ që njohin standardit OpenData dhe kanë njohuri në ICT, të aplikojnë për të marrë pjesë në DataThon.

Ku do të zhvillohet kjo Maratonë?

Në fshatin më turistik të vendit Voskopojë!

Kur do të zhvillohet kjo Maratonë?

Në datën 2 Nëntor 2018, nisja nga Tirana bëhet në datën 1 Nëntor 2018 mbasdite

Çfarë duhet bërë?

Sillni një ide, eja dhe punoni me grupin tuaj, vizualizoni dhe shpjegoni thjesht një proces që lidhet me shpenzimet dhe buxhetet bashkiake.

Ku mund ti gjej të dhënat për të punuar: OpenProcurement.Al ; OpenCorporates.al; spendingdata.al; FinancatVendre.al etj

Ku do të publikohen punimet?

tek Porta Vendore, në Blogun e AIS dhe në çdo media që i sheh me interes

A ka çmime për më të mirët?

Patjetër! Veç kënaqësisë së pjesëmarrjes në marathon, shijes së punës në një zonë plot natyrë, energjive së një eventi me mjaft bashkëpjesëmarrës kreativ, më të mirët si grup fitojnë Çmimi e Parë .

Si mund të aplikoj:

Gazetarët apo aktivistët duhet të përzgjedhin një temë apo ide. IT tanë duhet thjesht të shkruajnë një togfjalësh apo frazë çfarë i motivon të jenë pjesë. Kjo ide do të punohet në grupe me 2-3 persona gjatë ditës së Maratonës dhe do të prezantohet në fund. Ju aplikoni si individ, grupet do të krijohen gjatë në start të eventit. Për të aplikuar klikoni këtu

A ka një Juri?

Patjetër që ka, por edhe vetë pjesëmarrësit do votojnë për idenë më të mirë.

Kur do të njoftohemi për përzgjedhjen: brenda 10 ditëve nga regjistrimi, juve do tju vijë një Biletë për Pjesëmarrje.

Nëse nuk përzgjidhem si pjesë e grupeve, a mund të jem në Event:

Maratona është e hapur, kushdo mund të vijë dhe të angazhohet, por AIS mbulon shpenzime të udhëtimit dhe akomodimit vetëm për të përzgjedhurit që marrin konfirmim.

Fjalë Hashtag #LevizAlbania #DataThon #OpenData #OpenBudget #OpenSpending #FactBasedJournalism #OpenContracting #OpenProcurement #shto edhe një hashtag që identifikon punën apo projektin tuaj për qeverisje lokale dhe komunitet më të mirë.

 

Tema të mundshme:

  • Sa shpenzon një bashki për shërbime? A ka mjaftueshëm investim në kopshte rrugë dhe infrastrukturë?
  • Cilat janë bashkitë që nuk kanë marrë asnjë projekt nga Fondi i Zhvillimit të Rajoneve? Cilat janë projektet që ka mbështetur ky fond për zhvillim dhe a kanë impakt të duhur?
  • Performanca e Bashkisë në mbledhje taksash? Sa është e ardhura e taksave për frymë, po shpenzimi për një banor?
  • Investigo për një nga tenderat me RedFlag! Përtej shënimit që bën sistemi, çfarë qëndron pas një procedure me mungesë gare dhe konkurrence?
  • Biznese që fitojnë tender vetëm me negocim dhe pa konkurrent?
  • Biznese që kanë fituar më shumë se 30% të vlerës së tenderëve të një bashkie të caktuar?
  • Kontraktor në lidhje apo konflikt interesi????
  • Biznese që ofrojnë edhe mallra edhe shërbime edhe investime, të gjithanshëm apo preferencial në prokurim???
  • Buxhetim me pjesëmarrje? Duhet infrastrukturë por shpenzohet në shërbime?! Shpërndarja e (pa)drejtë e buxheteve.
  • Si pasurohet kryebashkiaku im, a ka kryebashkiak që përfitojnë direkt dhe indirekt nga investimet e bashkisë???
  • Temë tjetër e zgjedhur dhe propozuar nga ju.

Pse duhet të marr pjesë?!

Sepse në maratonë duhen gazetar që zbardhin të vërtetën, aktivist që luftojnë për qeverisje më të mirë!

 

Integrating the Red Flags algorithm into the risk evaluation process of the Albanian Supreme Audit Institution

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The integration of a Red Flags algorithm into Albanian Supreme Audit Institution’s (ASAI’s) risk evaluation process is one of the pillars of the “Transparency in Health Engagement” project, funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and implemented by University Research Company, LLC (URC).

Following several meetings with ASAI staff, in order to include in the Red Flags tool all the necessary indicators that could be of service to the auditor’s work, finally this tool is online. The Red Flags algorithm is incorporated in the well-structured database containing all tender procedures in the healthcare institutions starting from January 1st 2016.

RedFlag is a methodology for quality assessment and scanning of procurement procedures. It automatically selects and marks, through algorithms, some procedures that present indexes of potential risk for illegal, unethical behaviors, higher risk of favoritism, lack of competition and potential risk for unequal competition.

The database and the RedFlags algorithm empower several civilian groups such as:

• taxpayers, which understand how their money are being spent

• patients, which evaluate and respond to contracts related to the quality of service and infrastructure in healthcare

• journalists, who prepare fact-based reports

• other actors, part of the programs for transparency and monitoring/watchdog

The RedFlag instrument is incorporated with the intent to assist public audit institutions to obtain real-time indications on tenders and contracts with higher misuse probability, clientelism or corruption.

Albanian Development Fund Procurement on an Online Database since January 2015 by Open Contracting standards

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The Albanian Development Fund (ADF) is one of the most important public institutions. Its projects are covered by the State Budget and credits from important international institutions. The monitoring of ADF’s procurement of public works is particularly important given the high value and impact they are expected to have on the public sector. AIS has developed a database containing a passaport for each procurement in accordance with the OpenContracting standard. Anyone may search for data concerning tenders, fund limits, winning offers, winning operators, disqualified operators, and contract terms and deadlines. The data may be filtered enabling an analysis by the location of investments, nationality of contractors, type of tender procedure, type of project, and level of competitiveness. The data will be updated on daily basis, enabling taxpayers to monitor contracts signed for public money and goods.

Mayors’ Asset Declaration, Economic Interests and Wealth

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Which are the economic interests of Mayors? Asset Declaration is a process that enables the control of integrity, interests, and wealth of high-level officials. Mayors in our country, as high-level elected officials, are obliged to declare their assets to the High Inspectorate of Declaration and Audit of Assets and Conflict of Interest. Asset declarations, however, are not published on the website of the Inspectorate or on any municipalities’ websites. Pursuant to the right of information, AIS created asset declarations made by mayors over the years. Every citizen may search online for the assets and economic interests of their mayors or those of their family members. Other analysis and economic interests of mayors are available under Open Data Albania.

Open Corporates Albania – Monitor Municipalities’ Clients

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Monitor Municipalities’ Clients – One of AIS projects on Municipality Transparency. The main output of the project is the Open Corporates Albania database. This database contains economic data concerning business companies that have won tenders and contracts with the municipalities. The database introduces the Municipality’s Private Contractors, identifies their owners and administrators, and describes their economic performance and activity. After winning a tender with the municipalities, these economic entities provide public services or works. The public may thus learn who stands behind the companies contracted by the Local Government Units. For each business company, a passport using OpenCorporate standards is created for each tender conducted by all the municipalities from 2015 and ongoing.

How are taxpayers’ money being spent? Payments by municipalities through Treasury Transactions

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Where does taxpayers’ money go? For each municipality or state budget institution in the country, the well-structured database for Treasury Payments enables full transparency for every payment made to clients by the State Treasury. The system contains authentic data obtained from the Ministry of Finances, structuring them in a way that enables search by date of payment, category of expenses, beneficiary, invoice number and description, category, and value. For every municipality, taxpayers and citizens may monitor payments made by the state budget, searching by the paying authority, name of municipality, or budget institution. The data cover a period starting from 2012.

Tenders and Contracts – Learn about projects and public works for each municipality

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From July 2015, since the creation of the 61 municipalities emerging from the latest territorial and administrative division, until July 2018, municipalities have signed more than 18 thousand contracts buying goods, services, public works, and organizing auctions or Public Private Partnerships (concesionary contracts). A passport is created in the Open Procurement Albania database for each tender accessible to the public in the OpenContracting format. In addition, the database provides well-structured information enabling search for procurement by the procuring authority, winning competitor, type of contract, date of tender announcement, etc. The system includes also an algorithm, where each contract is automatically scanned on the basis of some criteria, and marked by RedFlag when applicable. The redflag algorithm has led to 10% of the total number of municipalities’ tenders marked by red flags, identifying thus the risk of lack of competition, inequality, favoritism, and economic abuse. The database is used in dozens of investigative articles in the Albanian media.