Pep-Online is a well established e-tendering software, which was developed and is operated by the official journal of Austria, the Wiener Zeitung. Within the year 2007 all texts for the user interface were translated and the software was adjusted to the new Croatian public procurement law; the requirements of Narodne Novine, the official journal of Croatia, also had to be fulfilled. Before 2008 all tenders were printed in the weekly edition of Narodne Novine, from January 1, 2008 they are available online on a daily bases. Additional functions like bidder lists, automatic information for bidders, document down- and upload etc. are available. The entered texts and forms are published on the internet as well as printed on paper in the Croatian official journal, if required. Public buyers enter the required information about a public procurement procedure into this system and an electronic consistency check ensures that all data are consistent and valid. Furthermore, the user of Pep-Online defines the date and the media in which the tender should be published and uploads the tender documents. This turned out to be a big advantage for public buyers as it speeds up the publication process immensely and increases the availability of specifications. The availability on the internet is also beneficial for potential bidders as they can search the database online, visit the buyer's profile or define automatic search profiles. If the supplier uses search profiles, the supplier receives information automatically night by night. After registration the supplier has the possibility to download tender documents and is automatically registered as a potential bidder and will therefore be informed, if there are any changes in the procedure. No trainings where held for the users of the system which proofs the good usability of this programm.

Policy Context

The Croatian Public Procurmenet law has to be applied,

Description of target users and groups

The target group on the one hand consists of all public and utility buyers in Croatia, which use the platform to publish the tenders. On the other hand the users are potential suppliers who want to be informed about these notices

Technology solution

Technology choice: Proprietary technology

Main results, benefits and impacts

- Improvement of transparency; - facilitation for small public buyers and SME's; - centralised procurement information; - all federal procurement activities have the same structured information; - savings in process work (e. g. copy and dispatch of tender documents); - savings in operating costs --> only one application for one country (reduction in fixed costs; savings in installation costs and time)

Return on investment

Return on investment: Not applicable / Not available

Lessons learnt

1. Communication An international project with more than one languages involved requires a high level of cooperation and communication. Successful and constant communication between the project group, local partners and governement partners requires a considerable amount of resources and should not be underestimated. 2. legal framework The Croatian public procurement law which clearly defined Narodne Novine as publication media for public procurement helped to establish the software very rapidly. 3. Helpdesk A well educated helpdesk which supports the users of the software is necessary to increase the acceptance. 4. Commitment for standardisation A clear commitment for standardisation is necessary to imlement this system in the whole country. Scope: National