The Inter-American Development Bank's Multilateral Investment Fund announced the approval of a US$1million grant to ElSalvador for a government procurement support program for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSME).
The program will develop and implement a series of services, emphasizing the use of information and communications technology to boost MSME's participation in government procurement.
"Public procurement represents between 10 and 15 percent of the domestic gross product in countries in the region," said MIF team leader Antonio Ca' Zorzi. "The impact of greater competitive participation of small and medium-sized enterprises would be significant."
"The government of El Salvador is reforming the country's procurement system to ensure free competition, transparency and equity, to streamline processes and make public spending more effective at all public entities at the central and local government level," added Ca' Zorzi.
"The program also contributes towards the further development of CompraSal a national e-government procurement system, which is being implemented to modernize procurement systems and facilitate the effective participation of enterprises."
The Ministry of Economy will carry out the program through the National Commission for Microenterprises and Small Businesses, in partnership with the Ministry of Finance and the Chamber of Commerce of El Salvador. Local counterpart funds will total US$420,000.
MIF, an autonomous fund administered by the IDB, supports private sector development in Latin America and the Caribbean, focusing on microenterprise and small business.
Inter-American Development Bank
marketing@alchempro.com
