Over the last two weeks, USAID/Kosovo Mission Director James Hope has signed Memoranda of Understanding (MOU) with the municipalities of Vushtrri, Gjilan, and Pristina. The MOUs will guide cooperation on the USAID Transparent, Effective, and Accountable Municipalities (TEAM) project, a five-year activity to improve the transparency of municipal procurement across Kosovo.  In addition to a new e-procurement system, the project will provide mentoring and training in five focus municipalities to institute systems that will improve how they account for public funds and expenditures; training to procurement officers in all 38 municipalities on the basics of an end-to-end procurement cycle; and coaching on how to collaborate with municipal partners.  In his remarks at the MOU signings, Hope has emphasized the critical roles that municipal officials – procurement managers, auditors and finance directors – will play in ensuring effective implementation of the project and in “building a culture of procurement integrity throughout Kosovo.”