Streamlining Construction Code and Spatial Planning in Georgia

Aug, 2016

PMCG, as part of the consortium led by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) Georgia, within the Good Governance Fund (GGF) project, is supporting the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development of Georgia (MoESD) to reform the construction code in Georgia. PwC and PMCG are conducting a regulatory impact assessment (RIA) of the spatial planning and construction code. The RIA will help decision makers to assess the impact of the new code and establish necessary steps to effectively implement the code. All stakeholders, such as the MoESD, the Government of Georgia, the Parliament and the wider population, will obtain information on the direct and indirect effects of the draft code and challenges resulting from administrative and legal issues. The GGF aims to support a series of governance and economic reform initiatives in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), Georgia, Moldova, Serbia and Ukraine and is funded by the UK government. It will provide flexible technical assistance, enabling a significant contribution to the following three GGF outcomes: More informed and active populations that can hold their governments to account Demonstrable and perceived open, accountable and responsive governments Higher rates of investment and job creation to support inclusive growth Please kindly follow the link below for detailed information about the project:Good Governance Fund

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Strategy and Action Plan Development for Mountainous Regions of Georgia

Aug, 2016

The importance of Georgia’s mountainous regions is often undervalued but, in reality, these regions offer many advantages and opportunities that can benefit the whole country.With this in mind, PMCG is supporting the Ministry of Regional Development and Infrastructure (MRDI) to develop a methodology to prepare both the Strategy for the High Mountainous Regions of Georgia and the Strategy and Action Plan for Developing the High Mountainous Regions of Georgia.In Georgia, each rural area has its own unique features and the potential to develop much further. Accordingly, the Strategy and Action Plan of each region will be tailored to specific regional needs and goals.The Strategy and Action Plan will cover 2017-2019 and will include SWOT analyses of each region, descriptions of objectives, actions to be implemented, budgets for each action indicating relevant sources, and the designation of responsible implementing and monitoring agencies/institutions for each action.In addition, PMCG will prepare the monitoring framework and monitoring plan associated with the Strategy and Action Plan to monitor the progress of the implementation.The project is being implemented as part of a project funded by United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), prompted by the desire of the Government of Georgia to raise the standards of living, to promote employment and to improve the economic and social standards of citizens living in high mountainous areas.Please kindly follow the link below for detailed information about the project:Developing the Strategy and Action Plan for High Mountainous Regions of Georgia   

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Kabul Municipality Successfully Launches Improved Construction Permits System

Jul, 2016

Kabul, Afghanistan has successfully introduced a simpler and more efficient construction permits system, under a business process re-reengineering project by The World Bank/International Finance Corporation. In 2014, PMCG was contracted by IFC to assist Kabul in improving its construction permit processes. Substantial delays in issuing construction permits, an ineffective legal and institutional framework, inconsistent classification of construction permits and buildings, and a lack of transparency and public engagement were among the key problems observed by PMCG’s consultants initially. PMCG contributed the project by developing recommendations on the following issues: reduction of the timeframes and costs for each procedure, reduction of excessive interaction between government and private sector representatives by introducing the one-stop shop (OSS) principle in the process of issuing construction permits; introduction of an individual approach for each type of building/structure known as risk-based construction permitting; and ensuring compatibility between public, private and third party interests. Information regarding the progress of the project was taken from a press release of the IFC, dated July 20Please kindly follow the link below for detailed information about the project:Afghanistan Construction Permits Reform Project – Business Process re-engineering  

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Electronic Monitoring System Being Developed to Support Implement Association Agreement in Georgia

Jul, 2016

PMCG, as part of a consortium led by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) Georgia in the framework of the Good Governance Fund (GGF) project, assisted the Office of the State Minister in European and Euro-Atlantic Integration (OSMEEAI) in developing the concept for an Electronic Monitoring System to implement the Association Agreement.The project supported to outline the relevant institutional structure of Association Agreement (AA) implementation and shares EU experience in deploying technological solutions. Consultants provided recommendations on technical and functional characteristics, as well as development and installation of the software solution. The project also advised on the improvement of governmental cooperation and coordination in AA implementation. The collaboration aimed at contributing to the effective implementation of the AA, through improved oversight and coordination of government departments.The GGF aims to support a series of governance and economic reform initiatives in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), Georgia, Moldova, Serbia and Ukraine and is being funded by the UK Government. It will provide flexible technical assistance in order to make a significant contribution to the three GGF outcomes: More informed and active populations that can hold their governments to account Demonstrable and perceived open, accountable and responsive governments Higher rates of investment and job creation to support inclusive growth Please kindly follow the link below for detailed information about the project:Good Governance Fund Project  

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PMC Research Center Awarded Five Stars for Transparency

Jun, 2016

We are excited to share the news that PMC Research was recently granted a 5 star transparency award.It is a great honor for us to be awarded by international organization Transparify for setting the gold standard for the field as a whole, by reflecting exemplary transparency in publicly disclosing sources of funding. From 200 major think tanks worldwide, around 70 were privileged to receive a five-star rating (out of five) in 2015. Since the Research Center’s very foundation, we have tried to be as open as possible. Due to the recent launch of our new, modern official web page, we have had the opportunity to reach an even higher level of transparency. Now every guest to site has easy access to information, and with a single click one can find detailed information about each project we are implementing, as well as sources and amounts funding. “We believe that transparency and accountability is not something unique but should be an inseparable part of every organizations nature. We are more than sure that it is the only way to progress and contribute to development”, explains Maya Grigolia, Research Director at PMC Research. Please kindly follow the link below for the full report:Transparify 2016 Think Tanks Report

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Supporting Civil Service Bureau of Georgia to Enhance Remuneration System in Public Institutions

Jun, 2016

Creating an effective system of remuneration is an important prerequisite for creating financial guarantees for public servants.With this in mind, PMCG, as part of the USAID Good Governance Initiative (GGI) program, supported the legal drafting team of the Civil Service Bureau of Georgia in creating the Law of Georgia on Remuneration in Public Institutions, and developed a uniform remuneration system with uniform standards and general criteria for all public institutions.The Law of Georgia on Remuneration in Public Institutions, which is to be adopted by 1 September 2016, aims to establish a legal framework to address the challenges of deregulation and to develop a fair remuneration policy which ensures efficient spending of state funds at the same time rewarding professionalism.The final version of the Law of Georgia on Remuneration has been formulated by PMCG and the legal drafting team of CSB, with the international best practices and existing legal framework in Georgia both taken into close consideration. Please kindly follow the link below for detailed information about the project:Assisting the legal drafting team of the Civil Service Bureau of Georgia in adoption of the Law of Georgia on Remuneration in Public Institutions

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Advancing Tax Legislation in Georgia

Jun, 2016

PMCG is assisting the Ministry of Finance of Georgia to improve its tax legislation, as a partner of USAID’s Governing for Growth (G4G) program (lead by Deloitte). In order to identify gaps in the current legislation and issue effective modifications, consultants are analyzing tax dispute cases heard by the Dispute Resolution Department of Revenue Service, Dispute Appeal Council of the Ministry of Finance and the Court. Later, the most frequently disputed areas of the tax legislation and the consistency of decisions across the relevant bodies will be analyzed. By the end of the assistance, consultants will develop recommendations on how to address the identified deficiencies in both legislation and practice. The recommendations will consist of necessary amendments to the Tax Code and the secondary tax legislation to ease understanding of ambiguous primary legislation. As a result of the project, the MOF will streamline its tax administration practice including dispute resolution practice which will enhance the business enabling environment of Georgia.Please kindly follow the link below for detailed information about the project:Analyses of Tax Dispute Cases  

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Discussing the Role of Think Tanks in Facilitating Sustainable Development in Asia

Jun, 2016

On June 8-10, PMC Research participated in the 4th Asia Think Tank Summit held in Seoul, South Korea. The Summit was dedicated to “Sustainable Development Goals in the Asian Landscape: Think Tanks as Catalysts for Policy Analysis and Implementation”. The event gathered leading think tank experts and policy practitioners across the region to discuss the most pressing issues for regional development cooperation of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and to address topics such as: the key research and policy issues of the SDGs on the Asian horizon; the obstacles hindering regional cooperation; the role of think tanks in bridging research/theory and policy/practice; and the ways of facilitating public-private partnerships to create open societies economies, and ending conflict and corruption.The Summit was organized by the Institute of Foreign Affairs and National Security (IFANS) at the Korea National Diplomatic Academy (KNDA), the Korea Development Institute (KDI) and the Korea Institute for International Economic Policy (KIEP), Think Tank and Civil Society Program (TTCSP) at the University of Pennsylvania and Asia Development Bank Institute (ADBI).

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PMCG Consultants Contribute Expertise to Cross-Border Electricity Trading Summit

Jun, 2016

On May 31, PMCG participated in the Cross-Border Electricity Trading Summit organized by the USAID Governing for Growth program and held in Technology Park, Tbilisi, Georgia. The event aimed to introduce the Electricity Trading Mechanism (ETM) as a tool to enable competitive electricity trading in the domestic and export (primarily Turkish) markets. The summit was divided into three panels: Development of Competitive Electricity Market in Georgia; Turkish Electricity Market and Cross-Border Electricity Trading; and Hydropower Investments in Georgia.PMCG experts Zoran Vujasinović and Dejan Stojčevski introduced customs and electricity trading details, and shared Serbian experiences of electricity market development. The position of Serbia is considered similar and the most appropriate experience for Georgia to call upon when implementing the ETM and in creating a business environment that enables efficient market and cross-border trading. The event was attended by a variety of stakeholders, such as: Mr. Kakha Kaladze, Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Energy of Georgia; Mr. Thomas Morris, USAID Caucasus Deputy Mission Director; Mr. Jake Delphia, Senior Energy Expert, USAID│G4G; Mariam Valishvili, Deputy Minister, Ministry of Energy of Georgia (MoE); Irina Milorava, Chair, Georgian National Energy and Water Supply Regulatory Commission (GNERC); Sulkhan Zumburidze, Chief Executive Officer, Georgian State Electrosystem (GSE); Vakhtang Ambokadze, General Director, Electricity System Commercial Operator (ESCO); Cem Aşik, Chairman, Energy Traders Association (ETA), Turkey; Joseph Melitauri, Senior Operations Manager, World Bank; and representatives of Turkish Energy Regulator (EMRA), Energy Traders Association, and Turkish Electricity Transmission Company (TEIAS). Please kindly follow the link below for detailed information about the project:Assessment of Customs Procedures for Cross-Border Electricity Trading

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Improving State Audit Office’s Communication with Citizens

May, 2016

PMCG, as part of the consortium led by Tetra Tech ARD, under the framework of the USAID-funded program “Good Governance Initiative (GGI)”, conducted trainings in storytelling and publication for the State Audit Office (SAO).The agency sought ways to improve storytelling and communication through its website and other popular channels of communication, such as traditional and new media. Due to the nature of its work, SAO sometimes struggles to report on its activities in a manner that is not highly technical and is appealing, informative and understandable to non-professional audiences, such as media, NGOs and the general public. To support the agency to overcome this challenge, the PMCG team conducted trainings for SAO’s PR and Analytical Department leadership in how to effectively tell a story about its activities tailored to specific audiences by making the most of both old and new mechanisms of communication.Please kindly follow the link below for detailed information about the project:Conducting Trainings in storytelling and publication for the State Audit Office (SAO)

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