The Government of Morocco has agreed to partner with the Development Gateway Foundation and the Government of Italy to deploy a new e-government system that will streamline public procurement processes, increase competitive bidding and save money for Moroccan taxpayers. A letter of intent was signed today at the International Forum of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Strategies and Investment, in Marrakesh.

Technical assistance and seed funding for the project will come from the Development Gateway’s e-Government Grants Program, a partnership with the Government of Italy. The World Bank will provide additional co-funding. The project includes a new procurement management system and a national public tender website to increase access to government contract information.

"More transparent and efficient procurement systems will provide a strong stimulus to economic and social development in Morocco," said the Honorable Rachid Talbi El Alami, Morocco’s Minister Delegate to the Prime Minister in Charge of General and Economic Affairs. "We aim to reduce government contracting costs while helping small and mid-size Moroccan firms gain easier access to procurement opportunities."

The e-Government Grants Program provides a mechanism for the funding and rapid implementation of e-government initiatives in developing countries. It is a key component in the Development Gateway's overall efforts to build capacity and increase efficiency in the public sector, with a special focus on procurement and the management of international aid.

The Honorable Lucio Stanca, Italy's Minister for Innovation and Technologies, said, "This is further proof of the Government of Italy's commitment to fostering friendship and mutual understanding among Mediterranean countries, and to helping our partners build governance systems. ICTs are a key factor in increasing transparency, accountability and efficiency in administrative operations – and are an enabling tool to promote good public governance."

According to Mark Fleeton, Chief Executive Officer of the Development Gateway Foundation, "Studies show that publishing tenders online can save governments millions of dollars. This project will help Morocco achieve savings in this way, and more, by also improving their processes and systems to handle contract bidding and awards."  

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