Yolanda Tayler, Practice Manager, Governance Global Practice, The World Bank



In January 2018, the Government of Morocco (GoM) officially installed the 12 members of the procurement regulatory body, Commission Nationale de la Commande Publique (CNCP). The CNCP is critical to enhancing transparency, accountability, and efficiency in Morocco's public procurement system, thereby improving service delivery and ultimately supporting economic development in Morocco.

The establishment and operationalization of the CNCP is the culmination of political will, results from assessments that identified weaknesses in GoM's public procurement system, particularly in its complaint handling mechanism, willingness to learn from international experiences and guidelines, and responsiveness to demands for equity and economic opportunities, particularly among  youth. 
 
The CNCP is an independent and autonomous entity with the mandate to oversee public procurement, control public spending, guarantee principles of transparency and parity in the development and execution of contracts, and improve the handling of complaints. Open, transparent, and well-functioning complaint handling mechanisms are important in public procurement systems because they incentivize investments and competition, thereby ensuring value for money and quality service delivery.

In a well-attended ceremony on January 19, 2018, the Head of GoM officially installed the twelve members of the CNCP, all of whom are recognized for their professional competence and expertise. Representatives from donor organizations, international organizations and diplomatic missions in Morocco attended the ceremony, and the Secretary General of the Government recognized and appreciated the key role that the World Bank played in supporting the development of the GoM's procurement framework over the last decade, and in particular, the establishment of the Commission.

 
While the establishment and staffing of the CNCP are significant achievements, however, there is still substantial work left to do. Critical next steps include: (i) developing a 5-year strategic vision and strategy, (ii) strengthening the CNCP's capacity building function, (iii) operationalizing the electronic complaint management system, and (iv) expanding the use of e-procurement to support the development of small and medium enterprises (SMEs). The World Bank is committed to continuing its engagement with the GoM in fulfilling these steps and is eager to continue building Morocco's public procurement system into an international model.