The U.S. Department of Commerce’s Commercial Law Development Program (CLDP), in partnership with the WTO Secretariat, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), and the Ministry of Finance of Armenia, will hold a Seminar on World Trade Organization’s(WTO) Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)Obligations and International Best Practices in Public Procurement in Yerevan on April 25, 2014. This one day program for approximately 100 government officials, contracting entities, municipalities, and representatives from international organizations and NGOs will offer information on Armenia’s rights and obligations per the WTO GPA. The program will be led by the WTO Secretariat, a U.S. Department of Commerce International Trade Specialist, and a Trade Consultant who was formerly the Senior Procurement Negotiator with the Office of the United States Trade Representative. Besides an overview of the WTO GPA, the program will also feature presentations and discussions on the GPA’s role, principles, and transparency requirements, procedural obligations, and procurement opportunities. The two US advisors will provide examples of US implementation, coverage, and experience with the WTO GPA. 

 

The April 25 Open Seminar will be followed by two additional days of training on April 26 and 27 held in Tsakhkadzor, Armenia and organized by the WTO Secretariat and EBRD. The program for approximately 30 Armenian government officials will feature technical sessions and interactive roundtable discussions on the GPA transparency and procedural rules, Armenia’s coverage commitments, implementation of the revised GPA, GPA’s institutional provisions, the GPA’s impact on regional trade agreement negotiations, e-procurement, and opportunities for foreign suppliers in the US. 

 

The goal of this program is to further develop a legislative and regulatory public procurement framework in compliance with international standards and the WTO GPA, provide comprehensive training to Armenian public procurement practitioners, and increase the efficiency and transparency of public procurement in Armenia. 

 

About CLDP

Created in 1992, the Commercial Law Development Program (CLDP) is a program of the U.S. Department of Commerce Office of the General Counsel that is uniquely tasked with providing technical assistance in the commercial law arena to the governments and private sectors of transitional countries in support of their economic development goals. CLDP assists transitional countries by providing training and consultative services to government representatives, lawmakers, regulators, judges, lawyers, educators, and other stakeholders.

 

  -   Press release