Improve the Accessibility and Quality of Public Services by Employing e-Government Tools (BG0042)

The Bulgarian government will improve the accessibility and quality of public services by employing e-government tools ; Improving the existing and developing new e-services for the National Revenue Agency Status quo/Problem addressed: At present the National Revenue Agency (NRA) is the agency providing the greatest number of e-services, but for some services the taxpayers still have to visit the respective tax office which is time-consuming and costly and represents an administrative burden for citizens and businesses. Main objective: To expand the scope and improve the quality of the e-services provided by NRA with a view of further reducing red tape and employing customer-oriented approach. To improve the internal processes and procedures of the Agency. Ambition: Simplification of procedures and improvement of the taxpayer – oriented methods. Relevance and OGP challenge addressed: The measure is aimed at improving public services. Lead implementing agency: National Revenue Agency Other governmental actors involved: Ministry of Finance Other non-governmental actors involved: Business associations, Employers' organizations Deliverables and impact: More convenient and easy access to tax services; reduced administrative burden for the citizens and businesses; economic benefits from saved time and human resource costs for citizens and businesses; improved management of NRA internal processes and increased efficiency of the tax administration. Completion date: ongoing; Development of an E-government Strategy 2016 - 2020 of the Ministry of Environment and Waters and a Roadmap for its implementation Status quo/Problem addressed: Nowadays environmental resource management in the context of sustainable development is faced with a number of challenges: climate change and adaptation to climate change, the need for more efficient use of resources, curbing the loss of biodiversity, establishment of new environment-friendly behavior patterns, etc. E-government in the environmental area would significantly improve the management processes, contribute to providing timely and accurate information to the public and is conducive to actively engaging the citizens in addressing the above challenges. Main objective: To develop accessible, predictable, effective and efficient e-government to the benefit of society and the environment. Ambition: Flexibility and effectiveness of the environment protection measures, reducing the document processing time, convenient access to and transparency of procedures. Relevance and OGP challenge addressed: The measure is aimed at achieving state-of-the-art management of natural resources, improving public services and increasing public integrity. The electronization of processes results in increased transparency of environment protection decisions and actions and greater accountability of the environment protection agencies. Lead implementing agency: Ministry of Environment and Waters Other governmental actors involved: No Other non-governmental actors involved: No Deliverables and impact: Coherence and consistency of the efforts for introducing e-government in the area of environment protection; predictability, traceability and publicity of the processes and clear division of responsibilities and timelines; improvement of internal procedures and consolidation of data from different sources. Completion date: October 2016; Establishment of a public electronic register of the installations emitting volatile organic compounds and provision of two e-services – submission of applications for registration and submission of applications for changes to the registration Status quo/Problem addressed: The current obligation to maintain a public electronic register of the installations emitting volatile organic compounds would be expanded to include e-submission of registration applications and applications for changes in the registration. Main objective: To ensure high-quality service for businesses, improve the information provided to the citizens and increase transparency with regards to protecting the quality of ambient air. Ambition: Modern service provision and greater transparency of the process of controlling and protecting the quality of ambient air. Relevance and OGP challenge addressed: The measure sets out to achieve improved access to information and expand the channels that citizens can use to get involved in the ambient air monitoring and control processes. It contributes to improving the efficiency of public services and increasing public integrity. Lead implementing agency: Executive Agency on Environment, Regional Environment and Waters Inspectorates Other governmental actors involved: Ministry of Environment and Waters Other non-governmental actors involved: Installation operators, local communities, environmental organizations Deliverables and impact: Reducing the lead time for document processing; increased flexibility and effectiveness of internal procedures; enhanced access to services; open, fast and transparent interaction with the stakeholders; services meeting the users’ needs; quick generation and processing of data. Completion date: July 2016; Development of a national information system for waste with supporting e-submission of applications, generation of reports and provision of information online Status quo/problem addressed: Waste management has traditionally attracted public attention and has often been the cause of concern of the local communities and hence a source of contention between the citizens, operators of waste processing installations, local and central authorities. The lack of aggregated electronic data on waste disposal and the difficult access to such data further escalate the existing conflicts and prevents the constructive and informed dialog aimed at finding mutually acceptable solutions. Main objective: To use the advantages of technology in order to provide more information about waste management in Bulgaria and to reduce the administrative burden for the operators of waste disposal installations. Ambition: Establish a framework in which potential issues are addressed in a timely manner. Relevance and OGP challenges addressed: The measure broadens the scope of publicly available information and promotes more accountability in terms of the waste management policies of the government. It ensures better public services and increased public integrity. Lead implementing institution: Executive Agency Environment Other governmental actors involved: Ministry of Environment and Waters Other non-governmental actors involved: no Deliverables and impact: Improved control over the operators; more convenient and faster application submission process; widened scope of the public information published online. Completion date: December 2016; Development and implementation of software applications for real-time processing of information and issuance of e-referrals and e-prescriptions. Status quo/problem addressed: Currently almost no e-health services are provided in Bulgaria which results in significant administrative burden for the medical professionals, inconvenience and delays for the patients and difficulties in controlling the financial flows in the health system. Main objective: To streamline and digitalize the health care processes with a view of increasing the quality and access to health services and improving the control over the use of the public health funds. Ambition: Significant reduction of administrative workload for the general practitioners and doctors and improvement of the health service provided to patients. Relevance and OGP challenge addressed: The measure is aimed at improving public services and ensuring more effective control on the use of public funds. The application of new technologies reduces considerably the cost for internal and external control of the health system and more specifically the use of the health funds. Lead implementing agency: Ministry of Health Other governmental actors involved: National Health Insurance Fund Other non-governmental actors involved: Patient organizations, Association of general practitioners Deliverables and impact: Significant reduction of the time for issuance and execution of referrals, prescriptions, etc.; traceability of the medical checks and medication prescribed; more accurate analysis of the referral process and better planning; improved access to health services for the patients. Completion date: June 2018; Transformation of the the initial registration procedure for civil society organizations from court registration into administrative registration and centralization and electronization of the CSO register in the Registry Agency Status quo/problem addressed: Until recently civil society organization in Bulgaria unlike companies and other legal entities were subject to court and not administrative registration. The court procedure is time-consuming and costly, and the CSO register maintained separately was incomplete, not fully digitalized and prevented the CSOs from using electronic registration services. Main objective: To consolidate the data on registered civil society organizations in a fully digital register, simplify the registration procedure and grant the CSOs access to digital registration services. Ambition: Full digitalization of the CSO register and provision of a convenient service (issuance of certificates, electronic checks and submission of documents) to the CSOs. Relevance and OGP challenge addressed: The simplified registration procedure and reduced costs together with the subsequent access to e-services significantly facilitates the citizens in forming associations and organizations and makes it easier for the existing CSOs to operate. The digital register also ensures a greater publicity for the activities of CSOs. The measure is aimed at improving the public services. Lead implementing agency: Registry Agency Other governmental institutions involved: Ministry of Justice Other non-governmental actors involved: Center for the Study of Democracy Deliverables and impact: Fully digital and comprehensive CSO register; simplified faster registration procedure and access to e-services for CSOs. Completion date: June 2017; Connecting the Information System for Managing and Monitoring the EU Funds with the information system of the National Statistical Institute Status quo/Problem addressed: The information system for managing the European funds contains the full data on projects and beneficiaries under the operational programs financed from the EU funds. Currently there are shortcomings and information gaps relating to the development of an integrated monitoring approach to be employed by the different level administrative units in using statistical data to assess the implementation of European and national strategies and the operational programs financed from the European Structural and Investment Funds. Main objective: To provide statistical data for the program indicators in order to ensure more precise, data-based evaluation of the implementation and effectiveness of programs financed from EU funds. Ambition: Timely evidence-based assessment of program impact aimed at generating maximum benefit from the interventions. Relevance and OGP challenges addressed: The measure is related to ensuring more effective management of public funds by providing more detailed information about the operation of the government agencies in the process of developing and implementing programs, financed from EU funds. Lead implementing agency: Administration of the Council of Ministers, Central Coordinating Unit Other governmental actors involved: National Statistical Institute Other non-governmental actors involved: No Deliverables and impact: Generation of detailed, statistically based implementation reports; clear evidence - based impact assessment of the programs financed from EU funds; better targeting of funds; publicity of results. Completion date: December 2017; Upgrading the main information systems of the Customs Agency and adding a functionality for exporting data and services to external systems Status quo/Problem addressed: The Customs Agency is one of the first agencies to provide eservices, mainly to the economic operators. Some of the existing services offered by the Customs Agency are build on obsolete technological platforms which require upgrade towards improved accessibility and convenience of service provision. In addition, The Customs Agency is obliged under the new EU legislation to harmonize the customs measures and update its systems accordingly. Main objective: To improve the accessibility and usability of the e-services provided to citizens and businesses. Ambition: Reducing administrative barriers to businesses and citizens. Smooth integration of the Customs Agency system with other, external software systems. Relevance and OGP challenge addressed: The measure is expected to contribute to improving public services and more effective management of public funds through increased automated internal control procedures. The public interface will ensure greater access to the data generated by the system. Lead implementing agency: Customs Agency Other governmental actors involved: Ministry of Finance Other non-governmental actors involved: Business associations Deliverables and impact: Established links with the key EU components; stabilization of the intrasystem components; provision of better e-services to citizens and businesses; opportunity to provide electronic administrative service internally with a view of implementing integrated administrative services. Completion date: June 2018; Development of a Centralized Public Procurement System containing all modules including e-evaluation and e-submission of bids. Prepare and employ a centralized tender documentation. Strengthening the role of the Central Public Procurement Authority via the e-procurement system Status quo/Problem addressed: Public procurement is a sensitive issue for Bulgarian society. Currently the public procurement process is not fully electronic and standardized, which makes it necessary for the applicants to prepare tender documentation on paper and submit it in the offices of the respective contracting authority, to take into consideration non-uniform requirements for similar subjects which is ineffective, time-consuming and entails significant cost while at the same time making the processing and evaluation of bids difficult for the administration. Main objective: To simplify the public procurement procedures and create guarantees for a transparent and unbiased evaluation of bids and contracting. Ambition: Introducing fully electronic procurement process. Relevance and OGP challenge addressed: The electronization and greater transparency of procurement procedures will considerably improve public service, increase public integrity, improve business environment and ensure effective management of public resources. Lead implementing agency: Public Procurement Agency, Register of Public Contracts Directorate Other governmental actors involved: Ministry of Finance Other non-governmental actors involved: Contracting authorities and businesses taking part in the procurement process. Deliverables and impact: Electronization of all stages of the tendering process; support for the contracting authorities by implementing standardized business processes and document templates; improved control at all stages of procurement; streamlining the process of maintaining the public register of government contracts. Completion date: June 2018