USAID COMPETITIVENESS PROJECT

Initiated in August 2007, the five year Competitiveness Project supports initiatives to stimulate foreign and domestic investment, capture higher value export markets, alleviate supply chain bottlenecks, and generate significant numbers of new jobs for Macedonia.
The project is market led and investment driven.  The project started by assessing the needs of international buyers/investors and performing an assessment of the potential of Macedonia’s domestic industry to identify the priority sectors with greatest potential for employment and higher value exports.  Three sectors selected include:

• Information and Communication Technology (ICT);
• Fashion & Design (includes apparel, footwear and furniture);
• Light Manufacturing, (includes electromechanical, automotive parts, machine tooling, etc.) 

However, the project is not limiting its activities to these sectors alone and will be taking advantage of other high-growth opportunities as they appear. 
The Competitiveness Project contributes technical assistance to support foreign investments and enhanced linkages into global supply chains for Macedonian firms. The resulting partnerships will alleviate constraints and build capacity related to:
 

• Workforce development
• Productivity, supply chain effectiveness and technology
• Access to markets and financing
• Infrastructural services, including industrial and logistical parks

The Competitiveness Project welcomes ongoing applications for partnerships with market maker companies (in developing linkages with suppliers), investors and investment promoting entities, business associations and groups, financial institutions, educational service providers and infrastructural service providers.  A Review Committee will select the partnerships that best meet the following criteria:
 

• Contribute measurably to significant new investment, job creation and export value
• Address major constraints to investment and competitiveness in priority opportunity areas with the greatest potential for Macedonia
• Leverage co-financing and commitments by partners, also leading to sustainable capacity

To achieve its ambitious goals the USAID’s Competitiveness Project will undertake demand driven focused on 3 broad initiatives:
 

• Attract foreign direct investment and improve the performance of channels promoting FDI
• Identify and develop market makers for priority sectors
• Resolve critical implementation hurdles for investors and market makers