GOOD GOVERNANCE FRAMEWORK

(1)

In all instances, the Loan Agreement shall be the overriding legal document. Asian Development Bank (ADB) Procurement Guidelines (2010, as amended from time to time [Procurement Guidelines]) and ADB Guidelines on the Use of Consultants by the Asian Development Bank and its Borrowers (2010, as amended from time to time [Consulting Guidelines]), shall be applied pursuant to the Loan Agreement as they may be modified by the Loan Agreement.

The Government of Cambodia’s policies and procedures shall be applicable to the extent there is no discrepancy with the Loan Agreement or ADB’s Procurement Guidelines and Consulting Guidelines. In the event there is a discrepancy, then the Loan Agreement, the Procurement Guidelines and the Consulting Guidelines shall apply.

No. Issue Action to Mitigate Risk Responsibility

Target/

Frequency Element 1: Procurement

1.a Risks of corruption and fraud in the procurement process:

Collusion during bidding process Biased bid

evaluation Suppliers/

contractors offering incentives for favorable treatment.

The executing agency and implementing agency to establish procurement committee under the Project, in accordance with the Government’s SOP/Procurement Manual, mandated on 26 February 2007, both of which are in line with ADB guidelines. The Anti-Corruption Law was promulgated on 17 April 2010 and is now in effect. The "Anti- Corruption Institution" Unit headed by Senior Minister was established in the Prime Minister’s Office. However, actual enforcement function for anticorruption has not yet been in effect.

The executing agency is the MPWT and the implementing agency is the PMU3 in MPWT.

Before loan negotiation

1.b Insufficient compliance with procedures

The executing agency and

implementing agency are to adhere strictly to the procedures and guidelines set forth in the Loan Agreement, ADB’s Procurement Guidelines, and SOP/procurement manual that also cover international competitive bidding, and national competitive bidding and shopping.

PMU3 has accumulated

comprehensive experiences of ADB funded projects; Loan 1945:

Cambodia Road Improvement Project, and Loan 2539: Cambodia Northwest Provincial Road Improvement Project.

Executing agency/

implementing agency

MEF to monitor for compliance with the Loan

Agreement, ADB’s Procurement Guidelines and the SOP/procurement manual.

Throughout Project duration

1.c Weak procurement

capacity A procurement capacity assessment was undertaken as part of the project preparatory technical assistance for preparation of the Project. The assessment found that the

procurement capacity is adequate.

ADB Throughout

Project duration

(2)

The executing agency and implementing agency will receive continued hands-on training and technical assistance from consultants recruited under the Project. The Government SOP/procurement manual will be used under the Project.

Recruitment of well-experienced Procurement Officer and Website Officer in PMU3 is the key to avoid delays in procurement process which will definitely lead to the overall delay of the project.

Project to closely monitor and review procurement conduct, and where necessary, take measures to improve procurement procedures based on lessons learnt from each successive procurement activity.

Weakness is derived from insufficient staff members for procurement. The implementing agency/executing agency have noted this issue and will recruit additional staff members in accordance with progress of the Project.

Executing agency and implementing agency

Implementing agency

Executing agency, MEF and ADB

Prior to signing of Loan Agreement

1.d Procurement Plans Preparation of realistic annual Procurement Plan as guided by the Procurement Guidelines, tied to annual work plan and budget

Executing agency, implementing agency

First Year Plan complete by appraisal and attached to the Minutes of Loan Negotiations Annually thereafter in July

1.e Informal payments by contractors, suppliers and consultants

All contractors, suppliers and consultants – firms or individuals, national and international – bidding for contracts under the Project shall sign the Declaration on Ethical Conduct and Fraud and Corruption in the SOP/

procurement manual.

Executing agency, implementing agency and MEF

Element 2: Financial Management 2.a Weak internal

controls Strengthen financial management system and internal controls function by ensuring that the Project uses SOP including procedures in the FMM, which cover:

(i) financial policies and standards;

MEF to monitor for compliance with

(3)

(ii) elements of internal control;

(iii) financial accounting system, ledgers, journals;

(iv) bank accounts and credit/grant withdrawals;

(v) Project expenditure, payroll, petty cash, advances; and

(vi) financial management reports, audit, counterpart funds withdrawals.

SOP/FMM, as well as Loan

Agreement and ADB’s

Anticorruption Policy

2.b Weak financial

management capacity The executing agency and implementing agency to receive continued hands-on training and technical assistance from consultants recruited under the Project. The Government’s FMM and Financial Management Activities, which was issued in September 2006. The SOP will be used under the Project, as well as relevant provisions of the Loan Agreement and ADB’s Procurement Guidelines and Consulting Guidelines.

Project to closely monitor and review financial management conduct and make necessary improvements as required.

Executing agency, implementing agency and ADB

2.c Minimize cash

transactions Project to make all progress payments to contractors, suppliers and

consultants – firms, individuals, national and international – by check or transfer to bank accounts, and retain evidence for audit and donor supervision missions.

MEF, executing agency and implementing agency

Throughout Project duration Throughout Project duration 2.d Delayed or non-

existent reconciliation of advances for operating costs and expenses

Project to reconcile operating

expenses to staff or field offices within one week of the end of each month.

No further advances to be paid until previous advance reconciled and cleared against documentary evidence.

Element 3: Disclosure 3.a Conflict of interest

among Project staff Project staff to disclose private and public affiliations or personal interest before becoming involved in any Project-related transaction, such as contract award. Executing agency to prepare a declaration statement for staff’s signature.

Executing agency and implementing agency to ensure all Project staff sign the disclosures

3.b Inadequate

transparency and For all contracts subject to prior

review, within two weeks of receiving Executing agency

and implementing Throughout Project

(4)

disclosure ADB’s no-objection letter to the recommendation of contract award, executing agency will publish on its website the results of the bid

evaluation, identifying the bid and lot numbers, and providing information on:

(i) name of each bidder who submitted a bid;

(ii) bid prices as read out at bid opening;

(iii) name and evaluated prices of each bid that was evaluated;

(iv) name of bidders whose bids were rejected and the reasons for their rejection; and

(v) name of the winning bidder, and the price it offered, as well as the duration and summary scope of the contract awarded.

For contracts subject to post review, MPWT will publish the bid evaluation results no later than the date of contract award.

At a minimum, the Project will disclose the information required by the Loan Agreement.

agency to arrange disclosure

duration

Element 4: Complaints and Remedies Mechanism 4.a Inadequate

complaints and remedies mechanisms

Project to build well-defined

complaints and remedies mechanism into Project documents.

Complaints procedures regarding procurement to follow process set out in Loan Agreement and SOP/PM.

Following established publication of evaluation and awards, debriefing mechanism is also necessary not only to enhance transparency but also for the losing bidders to know their weak points.

Executing agency and implementing agency in

consultation with ADB

Executing agency and implementing agency in

consultation with ADB

At

effectiveness

At

effectiveness

At

effectiveness

Element 5: Code of Ethical Conduct 5.a Poor enforcement of

the Code of Conduct for civil servants

Project to provide copies of the relevant laws and articles on Code of Conducts for civil servants to all Project staff, including contracted staff. Project will maintain signed declaration of receipt of these documents by all Project staff,

(5)

including contracted staff.

Similarly, all members of the

procurement committee undertaking the evaluation shall sign the

Declaration on Ethical Conduct.

The Anti-corruption Law was promulgated on 17 April 2010. The Anti-Corruption Unit headed by Senior Minister was established in the Prime Minister’s Office in 2010. Need to observe its effect.

Executing agency, implementing agency, and MEF MEF and ADB

Throughout Project duration Effectiveness

Element 6: Sanctions 6.a Inadequate sanctions

for fraudulent and corrupt activity by Project staff,

contractors, suppliers and consultants

The Project to identify and apply sanctions available under current law and regulations of Cambodia, ADB’s Loan Regulations, the Loan

Agreement, and ADB’s Procurement Guidelines and Consulting Guidelines.

Sanctions for individuals may include transfer of duties, retraining,

suspension, dismissal, re-grading, and prosecution under Cambodian Law.

Sanctions for firms may include:

termination of contract, debarment or blacklisting under ADB’s Procurement Guidelines and Consulting Guidelines, or prosecution under Cambodian Law.

Executing agency and implementing agency, and in consultation with ADB

Effectiveness

Element 7: Project Specific Elements 7.a Poor enforcement of

contract terms and need to conduct contractors performance evaluation

Executing agency to ensure that contract terms are strictly enforced and the loan consultant will be a party to ensuring quality control of contract outputs, include acceptance of

completion of works and services. The executing agency to conduct

performance evaluation of all contractors providing all types of services under the Project (also see 7c).

MEF to oversight and monitor the progress and constraints

7.b Poor quality of design and works

construction

Executing agency and implementing agency to ensure that approved infrastructure’s design standards and specification developed by the

respective agencies are utilized for the design of structures under the Project.

Project to recruit experienced design consultant on a timely basis to assist the Project.

Executing agency and implementing agency, and with ADB NOL

Contract signed immediately after

effectiveness

(6)

7.c Risk of low quality construction and supervision

Project to recruit experienced site supervision consultants to assist executing agency and implementing agency.

Regular technical audit is to be undertaken with any adverse findings to be acted upon immediately.

Project to evaluate contractors’

performance with poor performing contractors declared ineligible to bid for at least one year.

Executing agency and implementing agency, and with ADB NOL Executing agency and implementing agency

Executing agency and implementing agency, and with ADB NOL

Prior to award of first works contract.

Throughout Project duration.

Annually in July

ADB = Asian Development Bank, FMM = Financial Management Manual, MEF = Ministry of Economy and Finance, MPWT = Ministry of Public Works and Transport, NOL = no-objection letter, PMU = project management unit, SOP = standard operating procedures.