WASHINGTON, April 27, 2022 — The World Bank Group today announced the 18-month debarment of Centre for Training and Consultancy (CTC), a Georgia-based non-profit organization that provides consultancy and advisory services on strengthening civil society, good governance and effective local self-governance, and education, in connection with a fraudulent practice as part of the Second Regional and Municipal Infrastructure Development Project in Georgia.
The debarment makes CTC ineligible to participate in projects and operations financed by institutions of the World Bank Group. It is part of a settlement agreement under which the organization acknowledges responsibility for the underlying sanctionable practice and agrees to meet specified corporate compliance conditions as a condition for release from debarment.
The project was designed to improve the efficiency and reliability of targeted municipal services and infrastructure. According to the facts of the case, in February 2016, CTC recklessly omitted the disclosure of a conflict-of-interest relationship when submitting a proposal for a contract under the project, which is a fraudulent practice.
The settlement agreement provides for a reduced period of 18-months in light of CTC’s cooperation and acknowledgment of the misconduct. As a condition for release from sanction under the terms of the settlement agreement, CTC commits to implementing bid policies and procedures that reflect the relevant principles set out in the World Bank Group Integrity Compliance Guidelines as well as a corporate ethics training program. CTC also commits to continue to fully cooperate with the World Bank Group Integrity Vice Presidency.
The debarment of CTC qualifies for cross-debarment by other multilateral development banks (MDBs) under the Agreement for Mutual Enforcement of Debarment Decisions that was signed on April 9, 2010.
