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Georgia

Development and Introduction of the Quality Control Program of Commercial Service (GE0061)

Overview

At-a-Glance

Action Plan: Georgia National Action Plan 2016-2018

Action Plan Cycle: 2016

Status: Inactive

Institutions

Lead Institution: Georgian National Energy and Water Supply Regulatory Commission

Support Institution(s): NA

Policy Areas

Capacity Building, Legislation & Regulation, Private Sector, Public Service Delivery

IRM Review

IRM Report: Georgia End-of-Term Report 2016-2018, Georgia Mid-Term Report 2016-2018

Starred: No

Early Results: Did Not Change

Design i

Verifiable: Yes

Relevant to OGP Values: Not Relevant

Potential Impact:

Implementation i

Completion:

Description

Development and introduction of the quality control program of commercial service; In the framework of the Action Plan, Georgian National Energy and Water Supply Regulatory Commission (further on, Commission) shall ensure development and introduction of the program of quality control of commercial service. The Commission by Resolution #13 of July 25, 2016 approved “Commercial Quality Rules of Service” which aims at improving commercial quality of service rendered to customers by electricity and natural gas distribution licensees, water supply licensees and natural gas suppliers (further on, enterprise). Commercial quality of service is important from the point of view of customers’ rights since it consists of key standards for electricity and natural gas distribution and accessibility of customers in the field of water supply and customers’ rights protection, which is a vital issue both internally and internationally. For example, as of 2011, in the framework of the project Doing Business, in the common rating developed by WB, Georgia occupied 17th position, however, in one of the criteria of the survey, access to the electricity (connecting to the network), Georgia occupied only 91st position. After the Commission adopted and introduced regulation addressing customer access to the service of connecting to the network, Georgia moved from 91st to 50th position. Now the main challenge of the Commission is development and regulation of an efficient mechanism for monitoring commercial service quality. One of the components is to inform customers about their enterprise rights and obligations, which will improve accountability and transparency regarding customers’ rights. Date ofImplementation: 2016-2017; Issues to be Addressed: Rules for commercial quality of service promotes unified approach towards certain issues, among which are recording data about commercial quality of service rendered by the enterprise to the customers and presenting to the Commission information about commercial quality of services rendered to the customers: a) Inform customers about the date and duration of the planned interruption. b) Recover supply to customers after unplanned interruption; c) Timespan between the phone call initiation and the answer by a call-center operator. The program will facilitate observance of rules of commercial quality by enterprises and formation of a unified standard. As a result of introduction of the program the Commission will be able to permanently keep an eye on the processes of informing customers and rendering them services by enterprises. This will simplify elimination of potential violations and improvement of the quality of commercial services. Furthermore, the statistics obtained as a result of the program implementations will be publicly accessible that will facilitate informing customers about the types and quality of services rendered by enterprises, realizing customers’ rights smoothly and improving accountability of enterprises. Main Objective: Protect customers’ rights to introduce set standards of commercial service quality, prevent potential violation, support introduction of new standards and criteria of commercial quality.

IRM End of Term Status Summary

20. Development and introduction of the quality control program of commercial service

Commitment Text:

In the framework of the Action Plan, Georgian National Energy and Water Supply Regulatory Commission (further on, Commission) shall ensure development and introduction of the program of quality control of commercial service.

The Commission by Resolution #13 of July 25, 2016 approved “Commercial Quality Rules of Service” which aims at improving commercial quality of service rendered to customers by electricity and natural gas distribution licensees, water supply licensees and natural gas suppliers (further on, enterprise).

Commercial quality of service is important from the point of view of customers’ rights since it consists of key standards for electricity and natural gas distribution and accessibility of customers in the field of water supply and customers’ rights protection, which is a vital issue both internally and internationally. For example, as of 2011, in the framework of the project Doing Business, in the common rating developed by WB, Georgia occupied 17th position, however, in one of the criteria of the survey, access to the electricity (connecting to the network), Georgia occupied only 91st position. After the Commission adopted and introduced regulation addressing customer access to the service of connecting to the network, Georgia moved from 91st to 50th position.

Now the main challenge of the Commission is development and regulation of an efficient mechanism for monitoring commercial service quality. One of the components is to inform customers about their enterprise rights and obligations, which will improve accountability and transparency regarding customers’ rights.

Responsible institution(s): Georgian National Energy and Water Supply Regulatory Commission

Supporting institution(s): None

Start date: January 2016 End date: December 2017

Commitment Aim:

The Georgian National Energy and Water Supply Regulatory Commission (GNERC) committed to develop an internal mechanism to monitor performance of utility companies according to nine standards set out in the law, “Commercial Quality Rules of Service,” adopted in 2016. The commitment envisioned developing a quality assurance program to improve service, as well as protecting the rights of customers through monitoring and recording company violations.

Status

Midterm: Substantial

By the midterm, the commitment was substantially implemented. The program allowing the Commission to monitor service provision was launched in February 2017. The program consists of nine standards to assess companies, although a few standards are difficult to implement. For example, one standard is that if a company ceases utility provision due to delayed customer payment, the company must resume service within five hours of payment. Otherwise, the company must pay the customer five GEL compensation. As of August 2017, the GNERC had yet to implement all nine standards of envisioned by the program. For more information, please see the 2016–2017 IRM midterm report. [97] 

End of term: Complete

The quality assurance program was functional as of 1 January 2017, with the compensation mechanism being implemented in July 2017. According to a GNERC representative, the GNERC’s website and social media page regularly has information on citizen rights and their protection mechanisms, as well as information on violations by the licensees and GNERC’s response. [98] However, sometimes such information is published in the news section of the website, and therefore, is quickly archived and difficult to find later.

Did It Open Government?

Access to Information: Did Not Change

Civic Participation: Did Not Change

Public Accountability: Did Not Change

The GNERC aimed to create a quality assurance program to monitor delivery of utility services by the licensees, register violations, and react in a timely manner to protect customer rights. All nine standards of the program are fully functional. The program is vital for ensuring that service delivery is in line with “Commercial Quality Rules of Service,” and thus, improves service delivery to end-users. While GNERC publishes some information on citizen’s rights on its website, the commitment itself is internally focused, and did not lead to increasing citizen access to information, nor did it create new mechanisms for civic participation or public accountability.

Carried Forward?

The commitment was not carried into the new Action Plan 2018−2019.

[97] Lasha Gogidze and Tamar Gzirishvili, Independent Reporting Mechanism (IRM): Georgia Progress Report 2016-2017 (OGP, 30 Apr. 2018), https://bit.ly/2NIr097.

[98] Tamar Bazgadze (Leading Specialist in the Legal Department, GNERC), e-mail correspondence with IRM researcher, 12 Oct. 2018.

Georgia's Commitments

  1. Improved Public Services

    GE0066, 2018, Capacity Building

  2. Citizen Engagement Platform

    GE0067, 2018, Capacity Building

  3. Unified Authentication System

    GE0068, 2018, E-Government

  4. Economic Governance

    GE0069, 2018, E-Government

  5. Environment Portal

    GE0070, 2018, E-Government

  6. Strengthen Anti-Corruption Institutions

    GE0071, 2018, Anti-Corruption Institutions

  7. Monitor SDGs

    GE0072, 2018, Capacity Building

  8. Citizen Engagement Legislation

    GE0073, 2018, Legislation & Regulation

  9. Publish Court Decisions

    GE0074, 2018, E-Government

  10. Increasing Transparency of the Ministry of Internal Affairs

    GE0075, 2018, E-Government

  11. Citizen Participation in Public Finance

    GE0076, 2018, Audits and Controls

  12. Transparent Public Funding System

    GE0077, 2018, Fiscal Transparency

  13. Public Procurement Improvements

    GE0078, 2018, E-Government

  14. Housing Policy Planning

    GE0079, 2018, Land & Spatial Planning

  15. Openness and Accountability of State-Owned Enterprises

    GE0080, 2018, E-Government

  16. Transparency and Good Governance

    GE0081, 2018, Legislation & Regulation

  17. Open Data Collection and Publication

    GE0082, 2018, E-Government

  18. Participation for Disabled Individuals

    GE0083, 2018, Infrastructure & Transport

  19. Participatory Budgeting

    GE0084, 2018, Capacity Building

  20. Your Idea for the Zugdidi Mayor

    GE0085, 2018, Capacity Building

  21. Electronic Services

    GE0086, 2018, E-Government

  22. I. Gov. Zugdidi

    GE0087, 2018, Capacity Building

  23. Service and Citizen Satisfaction Assessment

    GE0088, 2018, Capacity Building

  24. Promoting and Monitoring SDGs

    GE0089, 2018, Legislature

  25. Citizen Involvement in Budget

    GE0090, 2018, E-Government

  26. Technology for Transparency

    GE0091, 2018, E-Government

  27. Citizen Engagement Center

    GE0092, 2018, Capacity Building

  28. Raising Public Awareness About Parliamentary Democracy

    GE0093, 2018, E-Government

  29. Electronic Innovations for More Transparency and Efficiency of Public Procurement

    GE0056, 2016, Capacity Building

  30. Starred commitment Adoption of the Environmental Assessment Code

    GE0057, 2016, Capacity Building

  31. Introduction of a Mobile App as an Alternative Channel to Connect to “112”

    GE0058, 2016, E-Government

  32. Development of Local Councils for Crime Prevention

    GE0059, 2016, Public Service Delivery

  33. Development of a Guidebook for Economic Agents

    GE0060, 2016, Capacity Building

  34. Development and Introduction of the Quality Control Program of Commercial Service

    GE0061, 2016, Capacity Building

  35. Presentation of Company Reports in an Electronic Form and Provision of Their Accessibility

    GE0062, 2016, Capacity Building

  36. Introduction of an Electronic Petition Portal and “Zugdidi-INFO” on the Webpage of Zugdidi Municipality Assembly

    GE0063, 2016, Capacity Building

  37. Transparency of Ozurgeti Municipality Assembly Meetings

    GE0064, 2016, Capacity Building

  38. Creation of Electronic Mechanism for Local Budget Planning in Kutaisi, Ozurgeti, Batumi and Akhaltsikhe

    GE0065, 2016, E-Government

  39. Adapting the Public Service Hall to the Needs of the People with Disabilities

    GE0042, 2016, Capacity Building

  40. Launch of the Unified Healthcare System Information Portal

    GE0043, 2016, Capacity Building

  41. Introduction of Electronic Licensing System in the Field of Natural Resources Application

    GE0044, 2016, Capacity Building

  42. Creation of Spatial (Geographic) Data Web-Portal for the Energy Sector

    GE0045, 2016, Capacity Building

  43. Creation of Innovation Ecosystem

    GE0046, 2016, Capacity Building

  44. Electronic Portal for Registering and Disposal of State Property – Customer’S Module

    GE0047, 2016, E-Government

  45. Development of the Freedom of Information Law

    GE0048, 2016, Legislation & Regulation

  46. Development of a Monitoring and Assessment System of the Government Policy and Legislative Acts

    GE0049, 2016, Capacity Building

  47. Starred commitment Introduction of the Public Officials’ Asset Declarations Monitoring System

    GE0050, 2016, Anti-Corruption Institutions

  48. Establishing Unified Regulations to Publish Court Decisions

    GE0051, 2016, Judiciary

  49. Development of Transparency and Integrity Strategy and Action Plan in the Field of Regional Development and Infrastructure

    GE0052, 2016, Capacity Building

  50. Improvement of the Database of the Convicted and Transfer of the Penitentiary Department Entirely Onto the Electronic Workflow Management

    GE0053, 2016, Capacity Building

  51. Publication of Phone Tapping Data According to the Nature of the Crime and Geographic Area

    GE0054, 2016, E-Government

  52. Starred commitment Increasing Citizen Participation in Supervision of Public Finances (Public Audit)

    GE0055, 2016, Capacity Building

  53. "Voice of the Consumer"

    GE0013, 2014, Public Participation

  54. JUSTdrive

    GE0014, 2014, Public Service Delivery

  55. Educational Services

    GE0015, 2014, Public Service Delivery

  56. Citizen's Portal (Www.Mygov.Ge)

    GE0016, 2014, Capacity Building

  57. Transformation of Public Libraries for Regional Development

    GE0017, 2014, Capacity Building

  58. Digital Signature and Online Authentication

    GE0018, 2014, E-Government

  59. Open Data Portal (Data.Gov.Ge)

    GE0019, 2014, E-Government

  60. Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Draft

    GE0020, 2014, Legislation & Regulation

  61. Georgia's OGP Forum

    GE0021, 2014, OGP

  62. I-Change.Ge

    GE0022, 2014, E-Government

  63. Transparency of Public Service Recruitment

    GE0023, 2014, E-Government

  64. Asset Declaration Monitoring System

    GE0024, 2014, Anti-Corruption Institutions

  65. Political Party Financial Declarations

    GE0025, 2014, E-Government

  66. Accessibility of Ministry of Interior's Webpage to People with Special Needs

    GE0026, 2014, E-Government

  67. Proactive Publishing of Surveillance Data

    GE0027, 2014, Civic Space

  68. Public Awareness of the Electoral Process

    GE0028, 2014, Capacity Building

  69. Transparency of Budgetary Processes

    GE0029, 2014, E-Government

  70. Electronic System of Procurement

    GE0030, 2014, E-Government

  71. Digital Human Resource Management System

    GE0031, 2014, E-Government

  72. Digital Preservation System: E-Archive

    GE0032, 2014, E-Government

  73. Openness and Accessibility of National Archives

    GE0033, 2014, E-Government

  74. Electronic Catalogues of Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) Archives

    GE0034, 2014, E-Government

  75. Public Finance Management System

    GE0035, 2014, E-Government

  76. Alternative Channels to "112"

    GE0036, 2014, E-Government

  77. Interactive Statistics and Crime Mapping

    GE0037, 2014, E-Government

  78. Travel Insurance Services

    GE0038, 2014, Citizenship and Immigration

  79. State Property Registration

    GE0039, 2014, Public Service Delivery

  80. Development of Community Centers in Georgia

    GE0040, 2014, E-Government

  81. Introduction of e-Governance in Local Self-Governments

    GE0041, 2014, E-Government

  82. Public Service Hall-Hub of Public Services

    GE0001, 2012, Citizenship and Immigration

  83. e-Governance in Local Governments

    GE0002, 2012, E-Government

  84. Citizens’ Portal

    GE0003, 2012, E-Government

  85. Easily Accessible and Better Healthcare

    GE0004, 2012, E-Government

  86. Launch Ichange.Ge and Data.Gov.Ge

    GE0005, 2012, E-Government

  87. Platform for Participating in the Legislative Process

    GE0006, 2012, E-Government

  88. Citizens and Justice

    GE0007, 2012, Judiciary

  89. Starred commitment Transparent Party Financing

    GE0008, 2012, Money in Politics

  90. Home-Grown Concept of E-Procurement

    GE0009, 2012, E-Government

  91. e-Declarations

    GE0010, 2012, Asset Disclosure

  92. Technology Cares for Safety: ICCMS, Crime Mapping, and Safety in Your Neighbourhood

    GE0011, 2012, E-Government

  93. NGO Forum

    GE0012, 2012, Capacity Building