GOOD GOVERNANCE INITIATIVE (GGI) IN GEORGIA Annual Performance Report No. 6 October 01, 2019 - September 30, 2020 PHOTO CREDIT TETRA TECH October 2020 This publication was produced for review by the United States Agency for International Development. It was prepared by Tetra Tech. Prepared for the United States Agency for International Development, USAID Contract Number AID-114-C-15-00001, Good Governance Initiative (GGI) in Georgia. This report was prepared by: Tetra Tech ARD 159 Bank Street, Suite 300 Burlington, Vermont 05401 USA Telephone: (802) 495-0282 Fax: (802) 658-4247 E-Mail: [email protected] Principal Contacts: Levan Samadashvili, Chief of Party ([email protected]) Kelly Kimball, Project Manager ([email protected]) GOOD GOVERNANCE INITIATIVE (GGI) IN GEORGIA Annual Performance Report (APR) No. 6 October 01, 2019-September 30, 2020 October 2020 DISCLAIMER The author’s views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the United States Agency for International Development or the United States Government. TABLE OF CONTENTS TABLE OF CONTENTS ................................................................................................................................ I ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS ........................................................................................................ II 1.0 PROJECT SCOPE AND PURPOSE .................................................................................................. I 2.0 DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ACTIVITIES CONDUCTED DURING THE REPORTING YEAR ............................................................................................................................................... 1 2.1 RESULT 1 – IMPROVED ADMINISTRATIVE AND FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT OF PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS AT ALL LEVELS ....................................................................................................................................................................... 1 RESULT 1 ACTIVITIES............................................................................................................................................................. 1 2.1.1 Activity 1.1.1: Support GoG to Improve Policy Planning and Implementation Practices at the Central Government Level ................................................................................................................... 1 2.1.2 Activity 1.1.2: Support MRDI and Partner Municipalities to Contribute to the Efforts of Local Development and Decentralization .......................................................................................... 8 2.1.3 Activity 1.1.3: Improve Service Delivery at the Central and Local Levels ................................ 15 2.1.4 Activity 1.1.4: Strengthen Local and National-Level Public Financial Management Systems, including Program Budgeting ............................................................................................................... 17 2.1.5 Activity 1.1.5: Support Civil Service Bureau (CSB), other Government Agencies, and Local Governments to Implement Civil Service Reform ......................................................................... 24 2.2 RESULT 2: INCREASED CIVIC ENGAGEMENT AND IMPROVED ACCESS TO INDEPENDENTS, RELIABLE AND BALANCED INFORMATION RELEVANT TO GEORGIA’S GOOD GOVERNANCE ................................................. 29 RESULT 2 ACTIVITIES........................................................................................................................................................... 30 2.2.1 Activity 2.1.1: Support Anti-Corruption Council (ACC) and GGI’s Partner Agencies and Local Municipalities to Institutionalize Anti-Corruption Practices to Ensure Better Accountability Both at National and Local Levels .......................................................................... 30 2.2.2 Activity 2.1.2: Provide Support to the GoG at Central and Local Levels to Successfully Participate in the Open Government Partnership (OGP) Process ............................................ 34 2.2.3 Activity 2.1.3: Support GoG to Enhance Transparency through Effective Practicing of Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Procedures ........................................................................... 37 2.2.4 Activity 2.1.4: Support GGI’s Partner Agencies to Effectively Fight Anti-Western Propaganda and Disinformation ......................................................................................................... 39 2.3 RESULT 3 – STRENGTHENED POLICY DEVELOPMENT AND LAWMAKING PROCESSES ..................................... 40 RESULT 3 ACTIVITIES........................................................................................................................................................... 40 2.3.1 Activity 3.1: Support Institutional Strengthening of Parliamentary Committees, Departments, and Parliamentary Research Center ....................................................................... 40 2.3.2 Activity 3.2: Continue Support to the Open Parliament Partnership (OPP) ............................ 44 2.3.3 Activity 3.3: Support Parliament in Raising Awareness on Countering Malign Kremlin Influence (CMKI) ................................................................................................................................... 45 2.3.4 Activity 3.4: Support Evidence-Based Law-Making Process ......................................................... 46 2.4 RESULT 4 – STRENGTHENED INSTITUTIONAL OVERSIGHT OF GOVERNMENT ................................................. 47 RESULT 4 ACTIVITIES........................................................................................................................................................... 48 2.4.1 Activity 4.1: Continue Supporting Parliament in Creating and Institutionalizing Effective Oversight Systems ................................................................................................................................. 48 2.4.2 Activity 4.2: Continue Supporting the Institutional Development of Parliamentary Budget Office (PBO) ........................................................................................................................................... 55 2.4.3 Activity 4.3: Continue Supporting the Institutional Development of the State Audit Office (SAO) .................................................................................................................................................... 56 2.4.4 Activity 4.4: Continue Supporting Counterpart PICD and Municipalities in Building Internal Auditing Capacity .................................................................................................................................. 60 3.0 ACTUAL ACHIEVEMENTS VS PLANNED ACTIVITIES .......................................................... 61 4.0 SIGNIFICANT RESULTS ACHIEVED DURING THE REPORTING YEAR ............................ 66 GOOD GOVERNANCE INITIATIVE (GGI): APR#6. October 2019 – September 2020 i RESULT 3: STRENGTHENED POLICY DEVELOPMENT AND LAW-MAKING PROCESSES. ...... 69 RESULT 4: STRENGTHENED INSTITUTIONAL OVERSIGHT OF THE GOVERNMENT. ............. 69 5.0 OBSTACLES, CONSTRAINTS, AND OPPORTUNITIES ALONG WITH LESSONS LEARNED DURING YEAR 5 ......................................................................................................... 72 6.0 ANNUAL PROGRESS OF PERFORMANCE INDICATORS INCLUDED IN THE PMP ........ 76 APPENDIX A: SIGNIFICANT EVENTS UNDERTAKEN DURING THE CURRENT YEAR ........... 101 APPENDIX B: ACCRUALS AND EXPENDITURE REPORT .............................................................. 171 GOOD GOVERNANCE INITIATIVE (GGI): APR#6. October 2019 – September 2020 ii ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS AoG Administration of the Government of Georgia CCE Center for Civic Engagement CHU Central Harmonization Unit CiDA Civic Development Agency CSB Civil Service Bureau CSL Law on Civil Service CSO Civil Society Organization DEA Data Exchange Agency EPRC Economic Policy Research Center EU European Union FOIA Freedom of Information Act FMC Fiscal Management Controls GoG Government of Georgia GGI Good Governance Initiative in Georgia GYLA Georgian Young Lawyers Association HR Human Resource IA Institutional Analysis IDFI Institute for Development of Freedom of Information INTOSAI International Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions IQC Indefinite Quantity Contract ISET International School of Economics IT Information Technology LDG Local Democratic Governance LEPL Legal Entity of Public Law LSG Local Self Government M&E Monitoring and Evaluation MoF Ministry of Finance MoJ Ministry of Justice MoIDPLHSA Ministry of Internally Displaced Persons from the occupied Territories, Labor, Health, and Social Affairs GOOD GOVERNANCE INITIATIVE (GGI): APR#6. October 2019 – September 2020 ii MP Member of Parliament MRDI Ministry of Regional Development and Infrastructure NALA National Association of Local Authorities of Georgia NAP National Action Plan NDG National Democratic Governance NGO Nongovernmental Organization NCLE Non-Commercial Legal Entity OGP Open Government Partnership OPP Open Parliament Partnership PAI Public Audit Institute PBO Parliamentary Budget Office PES Performance Evaluation System PIFC Public Internal Financial Controls PIM Public Investment Management PMP Performance Monitoring Plan PR Public Relations PSDA Public Service Development Agency RIA Regulatory Impact Assessment RoP Rules of Procedure SAI PMF Self-Assessing Independence Performance