Preparing Ground for Effective Cross-Border Electricity Trading

May, 2016

PMCG as a partner of the USAID Governing for Growth (G4G) program contributes to the introduction of the Electricity Trading Mechanism (ETM) in Georgia. G4G is preparing to enable competitive electricity trading in domestic and export markets and the ETM will enable simultaneous foreign trade of electricity as opposed to the current one-directional transactions.To implement changes successfully, the existing customs regime needs to be adjusted, as today this is tailored to single-directional electricity trade. On May 31, Serbian consultants invited by PMCG- Zoran Vujasinović and Dejan Stojčevski, introduced customs and electricity trading details, and shared Serbian experiences of electricity market development in the framework of the Cross-Border Electricity Trading Summit. The event was organized by G4G, at Technology Park, Tbilisi, Georgia. The event aimed to introduce the ETM as a tool to enable competitive electricity trading in the domestic and export (primarily Turkish and European) 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.Further, PMCG will assess the existing customs regime to identify gaps in regulations and issue recommendations regarding necessary modifications for accurate accounting of imported and exported electricity and proper collection of customs duties. The changes will deliver streamlined energy trading procedures that support existing market players and, at the same time, promote the domestic market for new entrants. This adjusted legislation will also support the wider process of approximation with EU regulations. 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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Starting up Cooperation with Partners in China

May, 2016

On May 28-29, PMCG hosted a delegation from China to arrange partnerships, and to introduce the opportunities and business enabling environment offered by Georgia to foreign investors.PMCG presented to guests (Frank Feng, General Manager at China Communications Construction Company (CCCC); and Dr. Biliang HU, Dean of Emerging Markets Institute at Beijing Normal University) the current economic situation in Georgia, the advantages of investing in Georgia and discussed topics related to the real estate sector. Specific attention was paid to the opportunities that the Georgia-China Free Trade Agreement, which is under negotiation, would open up. PMCG, together with the experts of China’s University of International Business and Economics (UIBE) and in collaboration with the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development of Georgia, conducted a feasibility study of possible outcomes of the agreement stressing the importance of signing the agreement and the economic opportunities it would bring. PMCG also met with Davit Lezhava, the Deputy Minister of Finance in International Relations, to discuss the position and vision of the Government of Georgia in terms of the existing business environment which can help to streamline investments. Guests also met with Wang Shengxin, General Director at Hualing Group Georgia and the biggest foreign investor in Georgia’s real estate sector, who shared the Group’s experience of operating in Georgia.Please kindly follow the link below for detailed information about the project: Joint Feasibility Study on China-Georgia Possible Free Trade Agreement

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Developing Reliable Mechanisms for Public Cash Management

May, 2016

PMCG, as part of the consortium led by Tetra Tech ARD, as part of the USAID-funded program “Good Governance Initiative (GGI)” is providing support to Cash Management and Projection Department (CMPD) of the State Treasury to develop reliable and appropriate mechanisms for public cash management. The mission of the State Treasury is to ensure comprehensive, effective and transparent public financial management, and ensure efficient and safe investment of public funds. It is therefore crucial to develop tools that will lead to a more open and efficient approach to public cash management. The assistance is focused on identifying points in the cash management process that can be automated in internal and external systems to the Treasury Information System (TIS). In collaboration with the CMPD of the State Treasury, PMCG works to establish the most cost-effective manner in which to automate the tracking of CMPD transactions in the Treasury Single Account (TSA) ledger system and its interactions with other IT systems. In addition, PMCG is working with Treasury personnel to develop an interface control document (ICD), detailing the interface with which the new software system will interact and providing an estimate of the scope of the effort to implement the required software functionality. Please kindly follow the link below for detailed information about the project:Assisting Treasury Department to Define Software Requirements for Cash and Liquidity Management Strategy 

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Supporting Georgia to Identify Priority Sectors for FDI

Apr, 2016

PMCG, under consortium led by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) Georgia, in the framework of the Good Governance Fund (GGF) project is assisting the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development of Georgia (MoESD) in identifying priority sectors of the economy for which export-oriented foreign direct investment (FDI) should be sought. The project team is studying the new investment climate after entering into force of the Association Agreement and DCFTA. The latter strengthens Georgia’s position as an attractive place to establish export-oriented industrial subsidiaries of foreign companies. That is why further diversification of the Georgian economy by attracting FDI into underdeveloped or new sectors with export potential for European market, is so important. As a result of this collaboration, the project will review Georgia’s investment environment, identify key sectors and the main potential FDI source countries, and issue relevant recommendations.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 in order to make a significant contribution to the three GGF outcomes: More informed and active populations that can hold their government 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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Assisting Policy Analysis, Strategic Planning and Coordination Department (PASPCD) to develop Policy Planning Manual

Apr, 2016

PMCG, as part of the consortium led by Tetra Tech ARD, within the framework of the USAID-funded Good Governance Initiative (GGI), has assisted the Policy Analysis, Strategic Planning and Coordination Department (PASPCD) to develop a Policy Planning Manual.The purpose of this Policy Planning Manual is to provide guidance for civil servants in public sector institutions in Georgia on the preparation, coordination, implementation, and monitoring and evaluation of long-term, mid-term and short-term policy planning documents.The PMCG team has studied and analyzed the existing procedures and practices of policy elaboration and coordination, and on the basis of the Policy Planning Framework document prepared under Good Governance in Georgia (G3) program, developed a detailed Policy Planning Manual. This will guide the staff of line ministries, government and ministry agencies and other public sector institutions throughout the stages of policy planning, including situation analysis, policy design, monitoring and evaluation, and quality assurance. It is expected that by applying the principles, concepts, analytical tools and processes provided in the Manual, the policy planning process in Georgia will become more participatory, transparent, results-oriented and evidence-based.Please kindly follow the link below for detailed information about the project:Assisting Policy Analysis, Strategic Planning and Coordination Department (PASPCD) to Develop Policy Planning Manual    

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Empowering Modern Research Practices of Regional Agriculture-Related Institutions in Georgia

Apr, 2016

On April 13-25, PMC Research is conducting trainings for regional education and research institutions on modern tools in research, focusing on the agricultural field. The trainings are held within the framework of ENPARD’s project Empowering Modern Research Practices of the Regional Agriculture-Related Institutions, in partnership with the Georgian Institute of Public Affairs (GIPA) and the Caucasus Environmental NGO Network (CENN), and aims to enable agriculture-related education and research institutions to conduct research work in response to region-specific needs. PMC Research will train university researchers in the regions of Samtskhe-Javakheti and Kakheti, in topics related to value chain analysis and the framework for conducting research beginning with data collection to reporting the results, managing the project and communicating research findings. Trainings also covered monitoring and evaluation.As a result of the trainings, the project intends to support regional institutions to become fully operational, improve methodologies and innovative approaches to modernize agricultural practices, and to increase fundraising opportunities and the role of the institutions as policy advisors for regional policy makers in developing and establishing regional development plans. Please kindly follow the link below for detailed information about the project:Empowering Modern Research Practices of Regional Agriculture-Related Institutions

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Strategic Plan and Action Plan Developed for Central Harmonization Unit

Apr, 2016

PMCG, under the framework of USAID’s Good Governance Initiative (GGI) program, has provided support to the Central Harmonization Unit (CHU) in improving the performance of its functions, as well as developing its policy paper and action plan.Central Harmonization Unit (CHU) is an internal organizational unit within the Ministry of Finance tasked with ensuring the formation of an independent, objective, transparent and professional Public Internal Financial Control and Internal Audit System.PMCG has been assisting the CHU in developing the Public Internal Financial Controls (PIFC) Strategy and the action plan for for 2016-2018. Accordingly, PMCG has delivered strategy planning workshops and coaching during the paper writing process. During the project, a number of meetings (workshops and coaching meetings) with CHU staff and workshops with ministries’ representatives were held in order to conduct comprehensive analysis and to comprehensively draft the PIFC strategy. Besides those activities, special attention was given to elaborating the most appropriate design and style for the strategy paper. The workshops delivered to the CHU staff covered the following: CHU’s vision; targeted success; values; SWOT analysis of PIFC Strategy; and strategic objectives and related activities.In addition, meetings with internal audit representatives were held, in order to gather their opinions regarding PIFC strategy related issues and to increase their engagement in the strategy implementation process.At this moment, the CHU team and local experts are cooperating to finalize the draft document and action plan. Please kindly follow the link below for detailed information about the project:Development of Strategic Plan and Action Plan for Central Harmonization Unit

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Supporting Kosovo to Boost its Tourism Sector

Apr, 2016

USAID’s Partnership for Development (PFD) program contracted PMCG to support the Government of Kosovo to facilitate development of its tourism sector.  The Government of Kosovo, in its 2015-2018 program, identified tourism as one of the most important areas for society and economic development. The country has the capacity for developing various types of tourism including winter and mountain, recreational-sports, and cultural. PMCG has studied the existing situation covering public and private sector approaches to tourism in Kosovo, linkages with international tourism organizations, and reviewed the Government policy, legal, and operational framework governing the tourism sector in Kosovo in relation to EU requirements and international best practices on regulation of private economic activity in the area of tourism. After the first evaluation stage, PMCG conducted consultations with all stakeholders, including officials from the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI), the Government of Kosovo, municipalities, tourism operators, associations and other actors in the field. As a result of this in-depth review of the existing situation, PMCG developed recommendations to improve Kosovo’s private sector practices, as well as policy, legal, and operational framework in the tourism industry.Please kindly follow the link below for detailed information about the project:Supporting Kosovo to Develop Tourism Sector, USAID Kosovo PFD Program

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Supporting Civil Service Bureau to develop Job Evaluation Methodology

Apr, 2016

In further support of the Government of Georgia’s current initiative to reform the civil service, PMCG, under the USAID Good Governance Initiative (GGI) program, is assisting the Civil Service Bureau (CSB) of Georgia to conduct job evaluation which entails formulating classification methods, developing a ranking model, assign grades to jobs, and developing an approach to unify existing titles.The objective of this assignment is to support the CSB to develop the job evaluation methodology to be linked with the ranking system in the civil service necessary for drafting the secondary legislation prior to the enactment of the new Law on Civil Service.The main challenge of the project is that evaluating each position by using an analytical classification tool (which scores and gives value to every job in civil service) is complicated, and the outcomes completely change the current order. In the current order, jobs are placed at the same grade based on hierarchy level (titles) rather than the nature of their functions or responsibility, complexity, competencies, qualification etc. At the same time, this method is the most precise to measure the value of a job for the organization.After carefully considering the existing situation in the civil service sector, PMCG in close collaboration with CSB decided to develop a classification system which would be simplest for implementation, in that it is feasible and gives clear and logical justification to categorize positions within the new ranking model.Please kindly follow the link below for detailed information about the project:Supporting Civil Service Bureau of Georgia to develop Job Evaluation Methodology

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Strengthening the Human Resource Capacity of the Civil Service Bureau of Georgia

Mar, 2016

Providing further support to the Government of Georgia’s (GoG) initiative to reform the civil service, PMCG, as part of a consortium led by Tetra Tech ARD, under the USAID Good Governance Initiative Program assisted the Civil Service Bureau (CSB) of Georgia to formulate uniform and standardized job descriptions for all civil service positions in government institutions.PMCG assisted CSB to build its capacity to develop standardized job descriptions, contextually coordinating the process and providing relevant expertise to HR managers of government institutions at central and municipal levels.This activity has built on the achievements of GGI’s predecessor project, the USAID/Good Governance in Georgia (G3) Program, which provided the CSB with technical guidance on job description development, a structured job description template, and 11 job descriptions for each line ministry.In addition, GGI supported Tbilisi City Hall to study and improve organizational management of Mediathek, a not-for-profit legal entity. This entity is a modern concept library with a unique design space and growing number of customers. The Mediathek project has been identified as an important component since the revised organizational model of Mediathek is to be used for Tbilisi municipality libraries.An organizational diagnosis report covered the issues of existing HRM practices, inefficiencies of existing organizational structure and duplication of functions. A new organizational structure with relevant position functions and recommendations on organizational improvement were delivered.Please kindly follow the link below for detailed information about the project:Strengthening the Human Resource Capacity of the Civil Service Bureau of Georgia

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