The first, and to date only, integrity pact (IP) in Lithuania was implemented in the context of the EU-wide programme “Integrity Pacts EU: Civil Control Mechanisms to Safeguard EU Funds”.

The contracting project, worth approximately €11.5 million, involved the modernisation of the Neris river’s embankments and the creation of new paths, cycle lanes, and other amenities in Lithuania’s capital Vilnius. The Vilnius City Municipality and the Vilnius Development Company jointly managed the project. In 2017, both entities signed separate integrity pacts with Transparency International Lithuania, spelling out obligations regarding the project and terms and conditions for the independent monitoring.

The text of both IPs included commitments to refrain from corruption and bribery and provided TI Lithuania’s monitoring team with access to all information, documents, meetings and communication related to the project. In addition, the Vilnius Municipality committed to reviewing its internal whistleblowing policy according to TI Lithuania’s recommendations, and the Vilnius Development Company committed to working with TI Lithuania to review its internal anti-corruption policies. IP signature was voluntary for bidders and contractors.

TI Lithuania’s team included external legal and contracting experts and monitored all the steps of six different contracting procedures. The monitor’s work and recommendations contributed to the improvement of the quality of the tender process and documentation, including the establishment of a procedure to examine grounds for exclusion of bidders, criteria for assessing the cost-effectiveness of proposals, and removal of ambiguities and inconsistencies in the contracts which might have caused disputes with contractors.

As part of the IP activities, TI Lithuania also contributed to the contracting authority’s improved integrity capacity by providing recommendations for increased transparency of its procedures for public procurement, carrying out meetings and seminars with the municipality staff, and providing guidance for the setting up of a whistle-blower mechanism. Moreover, TI Lithuania carried out a study on the main challenges faced by bidders in contracting procedures. Its publication received a considerable amount of media attention.