SIGMA BMC

Public Sector Consulting

Behavioral Science for Municipal Governance

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To facilitate a series of Behavioral Harvest Workshops for municipal officials in Kosovo, applying social and behavioral sciences principles to governance, and to contribute to the continuous improvement and adaptation of the workshop methodology through post-workshop analysis and reporting. The specific objectives included:

  • To co-facilitate and subsequently lead the facilitation of the five Behavioral Harvest Workshops.
  • To effectively engage municipal officials (Mayors and civil servants) from various municipalities in Kosovo (Prizren, Prishtine, Suhareke, Vushtri, and Gjilan), totaling 75 participants, around the application of social and behavioral sciences to governance.
  • To introduce relevant activities and nuanced adjustments to the workshop sessions, leveraging behavioral science expertise to enhance the participant experience and outcomes.
  • To jointly conduct post-workshop analysis and reporting with the USAID Social Contract Activity (SCA) team to inform continuous improvement and adaptations of the workshop design and delivery.

Year

May 2022 – June 2022

Country

Kosovo

Type of Activity

Behavioral Science Consulting, Public Sector Consulting, Capacity Building, Training and Facilitation, commissioned by USAID Social Contract Activity in Kosovo.

Activities:

Facilitate Behavioural Harvest Workshops.

Engage municipal officials, including Mayors and civil servants from 5 main Kosovo municipalities including Prizren, Prishtine, Suhareke, Vushtri, and Gjilan to centre around the theme of applying social and behavioural sciences to governance.

Integrate relevant activities and nuanced adjustments into the workshop sessions, drawing upon their behavioral science expertise to optimize the learning experience and outcomes for participants.

Collaborate with the USAID SCA team to conduct post-workshop analysis, contributing to the reporting process for each session.

Results:

Successful facilitation of five Behavioral Harvest Workshops for 75 municipal officials in Kosovo.
Increased awareness and understanding among municipal officials regarding the application of social and behavioral sciences to governance.
Enhanced engagement and participation of municipal officials in the workshops through tailored activities and adjustments.
Comprehensive post-workshop analysis and reports generated in collaboration with the SCA team.
Identification of key learnings and areas for improvement in the workshop design and delivery methodology.
Contribution to the continuous adaptation and enhancement of future Behavioral Harvest Workshops within the USAID Social Contract Activity.
Potential for municipal officials to apply behavioral insights in their governance practices.

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Restructuring of the EARK for Improved Services

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To provide expert support to the Employment Agency of the Republic of Kosovo (EARK) in its restructuring efforts aimed at enhancing the quality of its services and effectively implementing the Youth Guarantee Scheme, aligning with national development strategies and European best practices for Public Employment Services (PES).

The specific objectives included:

  • Map stakeholders & support fact-finding for EARK restructuring.
  • Analyze EARK’s situation based on key documents.
  • Support an international consultant in developing the EARK restructuring proposal (structure, legislation, training).
  • Define EARK processes and develop a new organizational structure.
  • Facilitate coordination for EARK restructuring.
  • Support the preparation of the Youth Guarantee Scheme.
  • Assist in drafting the EARK restructuring report and action plan.
  • Develop EARK’s customized Competency Framework and Implementation Plan (aligned with national & European standards).

Year

May 2022 – March 2023

Country

Kosovo

Type of Activity

Public Sector Consulting, Organizational Development (OD) Consulting, and Public Administration Reform, commissioned by Fit4Jobs, GIZ.

Activities:

Mapped stakeholders and co-led fact-finding (interviews with EARK staff, stakeholders, MFLT).
Conduct situational analysis (laws, reports, manuals).
Provide local insight and support international consultant in developing EARK restructuring proposal (structure, legislation, training).
Identify EARK processes and co-develop a new organizational structure.
Coordinate with MFLT, EARK management, and GIZ.
Support the coordination of the Youth Guarantee Scheme task force.
Draft the EARK Restructuring Report and Implementation Action Plan.
Develop EARK’s Customized Competency Framework and Implementation Plan (aligned with national & European standards).

Results:

Comprehensive Analysis & Restructuring Plan.

New Procces-oreinted Organizational Structure and concrete Implementation Action Plan.

Customized Competency Framework and an Implementation Plan for EARK leadership and middle management staff, aligned with national and European standards.

 

Improving waste management & climate friendly measures

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The project aimed to support the Association of Kosovo Municipalities, i.e., support municipalities in identifying the key challenges and barriers of cooperation with Regional Waste Management Companies (RWC). The specific objectives included:

  • Evaluate the service provision agreements between municipalities and RWCs or other service providers, focusing on waste collection, transport, disposal, etc.
  • Assess the performance of RWCs in service provision.
  • Identify gaps in service quality and areas where cooperation between municipalities and RWCs is underperforming.
  • Evaluate current service contracts and reporting systems used by municipalities and RWCs.
  • Review communication practices related to awareness campaigns and citizen engagement.
  • Propose improvements to the communication channels between municipalities and RWCs, ensuring transparent and efficient information exchange.
  • Identify RWC’s capacities for integrated waste management and Inter-Municipal Cooperation (IMC), analyzing the potential benefits of IMC in terms of cost-sharing, operational efficiency, and service improvement.

Year

November 2024 – April 2025

Country

Kosovo

Type of Activity

Public Sector Consulting; Operational Improvement and Efficiency Consulting with a strong focus on Environmental Consulting and Governance/Institutional Strengthening, commissioned by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH.

Activities:

Phase 1: Research and Interviews
Phase 2: Assessments, Performance Analysis and Opportunities for enhanced inter-municipal cooperation
Phase 3: Presentation along with actionable recommendations for improvement

Results:

Identified key challenges and Gaps in municipality-RWC cooperation.

Actionable recommendations were proposed to enhance service provision agreements with clear KPIs, improve communication channels through diverse methods, and outlined a roadmap for implementing Inter-Municipal Cooperation (IMC) to optimize waste management.

Capacity building needs identified for municipal and RWC staff.