Bank will finance personal attention centers, civil servant training, rationalization of processes and simplification of procedures, among other measures
Colombian citizens, civil servants and companies that file requests, paperwork or offer goods or services to government agencies will benefit from the Project for Efficiency in Serving the Citizen, which will be financed with a loan of $20 million approved by the Interamerican Development Bank (IDB).
The initiative will help improve quality in the management and rendering of public services. It will do so through better and more timely access to those services in personal attention centers, rationalization of processes, simplification of red tape, training of civil servants who attend the public, and the obtaining greater value in public procurement and tenders.
Plans include the establishment of Integrated Service Centers in selected regional-level agencies, the reformulation of business models for dealing with citizens depending on population size, including alternatives for co-financing and co-management with regional governments, and improved government communication with the people of Colombia. Also foreseen is improvement of internal management and simplification of procedures, including those related to the government procurement and tender system.
The $20 million loan comes from the IDB’s Flexible Financing Facility. It has a repayment period of 15.04 years, with an identical grace period and an interest rate pegged to the LIBOR.