What is the concept of the e-LPA Platform?
The efficient and sustainable digital transformation of local public authorities starts from identification, optimization and standardization of services and processes for all authorities, digitalization of vital services and processes, to be subsequently transposed into an information system that allows its rapid and secure use, as well as to enhance the accessibility of services. This is one of the objectives of this platform designed for local public authorities: enhancing their interaction with citizens, streamlining the work of local public authorities, reducing the administrative burden for both parties.
The major objective is to improve the citizens' experience and the activity of local authorities, while creating added value and a positive impact. Prioritization was done based on the needs and problems shared by LPAs: they highlighted 3 key areas where priority interventions will be made and which will generate real and expected changes. These relate to ensuring the uniform access to data for the LPA representatives in order to enable the best performance of the LPA functions and related administrative activities. This refers to the data required for accurate budget planning based on relevant data; data required for the provision of various local services; and data required for the best provision of social services.
Subsequently, the project team aims, through this platform, to digitize the function of the LPA registrar, that is, to provide the possibility of registration in the State Registers of events occurring at the level of LPAs, which are currently captured only de jure by LPAs, such as: civil status registration, immovable property and legal units. This objective was set to decentralize as much as possible the processes and functions related to these key areas and to bring them as close as possible to citizens. Whether services are provided by central or local authorities, citizens should have the same model of interaction.
Another priority is the digitalization of local public services, a key element that will qualitatively change the experience of local community members. In that case, LPAs will reuse services, information resources, existing digital tools that are used with great success by central authorities, such as MCloud for platform hosting, MPass service for secure authentication, MSign service for signing, MPay service for electronic payments, MConnect platform for the use and provision of data, e-services configuration platform, etc.
The e-Governance Agency (EGA) is committed to provide all the necessary technological, methodological and legal support to enable the development, as well as the de jure and de facto implementation of the platform, which will allow the alignment of local public authorities to the provisions of the Law on Public Services recently approved by the Parliament of the Republic of Moldova.
What is the timeframe for implementation of this platform and what will be the benefits for LPAs?
This activity aims to localize the digital transformation agenda, which means integration of technologies and innovations for the benefit of local communities and local public administrations.
The objectives of the platform are as follows:
- Enhancing the quality and accessibility of public services;
- Focusing on the citizens' needs;
- Reusability and administrative simplification;
- Improving the performance of public administration authorities;
- Competitiveness of LPA employees through continuous training and development of digital skills.
EGA plans to achieve the first tangible results by June 2023.
At the same time, the advantages of using the e-LPA platform are as follows: streamlining the entire local activity, interaction between citizens and LPAs, and interaction between LPAs and central authorities.
Innovation and technologies used in the public interest bring more transparency in public activity, increase the accessibility of public services, reduce service provision costs and administrative costs, exclude the complexity by maximum reuse of data and opportunities offered by technologies, generate added value for both citizens and public administrations, by creating alternatives for citizens and providing administrations with efficient solutions.