As Bosnia develops into a mature, representative democracy, the role of local governments and municipalities grows in importance. The Governance Accountability Project (GAP) for Bosnia and Herzegovina, supported by US Agency for International Development (USAID), the Swedish International Development Cooperative Agency (SIDA) and the Embassy of the Netherlands, is helping to build the capacity of Bosnian municipalities to better serve their citizens. As a part of this effort, GAP has recently purchased 46 Ashtech ProMark 3 RTK GPS receivers to help cadastre offices in 23 municipalities to support municipal capital improvement projects and simplify procedures for urban construction and land use administration.

Ashtech ProMark 3 RTK GPS receivers were chosen by GAP because they meet all the technical requirements of the Federal Geodetic Authority for use in land administration. In addition, GAP required a brand name device with strong local support, local language interface, and on-site training in every municipality with real data problems. Gauss GeoInformation Systems, the local Ashtech dealer, was identified as a company with good technical knowledge, and a large base of existing users. There are almost 200 ProMark series receivers in everyday use in Bosnia and many more Ashtech receivers bearing the MobileMapper™ series brand name.

About GAP

Governance Accountability Project (GAP) provides demand-driven assistance to 71 municipalities that equally represent all parts of Bosnia. The project works with mayors, municipal associations, and the business community to improve the transparency, accountability, and effectiveness of Bosnia’s governance structures. The local Self-Governance Strategy, drafted by Bosnian mayors and policy experts, forms the basis for these policy interventions. GAP also is spearheading the Municipal Action Plan process to improve municipal service delivery and working with other donors to provide training to improve municipal capacity to manage projects and to access EU pre-accession funding.

About Gauss GeoInformation Systems

Gauss, a market leader in applying geoinformation technologies in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the wider region, creates, develops and implements complete geoinformatic solutions, including the supply of technology, preparation of spatial data and training users, in the areas of natural resources, physical planning, cadastre, utility infrastructure, telecommunications and electric distribution systems. www.gauss.ba/web/en