The Project had the objective of further developing the Albanian social insurance system according to the needs of a democratic and market-oriented society, and ensured some level of alignment of insurance methods with EU norms in the area of social protection.
The project had three major components:
1.) Staff and Policy development - Regulation for organization and functioning of the Social Insurance Institute
• The Functional Requirements and business rules were identified. Administrative procedures and workflows were elaborated in order to build the new software. All processes have integrated quality control mechanisms. A complete and detailed functional analysis of the workflows, procedures and legislative rules were carried out and expressed in three essential functions of the Institute’s activities: contributors’ registration, close observation of social contributions inflows and calculations’ control for paid amounts, the payment of short-term and long-term benefits, integrating the verification of eligibility rules and automatic benefits calculation. The algorithms for different benefits calculations have been integrated into the schemes for the software development;
• The Archives work flow was proposed to be integrated into the software to provide a solution for the very difficult workflow handling. In parallel, the Administrative Council took the decision to build a new centralized archive system;
• Workshops, trainings and study tours for managers were organized in order to conclude the preparation phase for the new structure and the new procedures. A seminar was carried out aimed at reinforcing the internal communication policy and at clarifying the changing process principles, another seminar was held for the regional directors to introduce all modifications.
2.) Improving the data management - rationalisation and software system:
• Developed Technical Specifications for the supply of hardware, software development and telecommunications;
• Developed application development for three major functionalities: registration, contribution in urban and rural area and old age pension;
• Analysis for data migration was carried out.
3.) Awareness raising - transparency of and confidence in the social insurance system:
• An important media plan was developed with a number of communication activities: articles in different Albanian newspapers, publications for migrant workers in Greece and Italy, a TV spot on public television, posters for contributions payment;
• Website with a new intranet function was set up to develop internal communication and mobilize the actors who are in contact with the public and the partners. They are the main actors and addressees of communication and public information.