Oana Vodă, Dentons Romania: The level of sophistication of legal services in procurement mandates has evolved significantly

Business Review sat down with Oana Vodă, Head of Public Procurement in Dentons Romania, to delve into the intricacies of navigating the public procurement landscape in Romania. She underscored the crucial importance of collaborative client relationships, ensuring active involvement and deeper understanding for effective outcomes and sustainable partnerships.

How does Dentons foster strong client relationships when assisting businesses with public procurement matters in Romania?

We prioritize solution-oriented approaches and a high level of responsiveness, ensuring that our clients receive timely and tailored support throughout every stage of the procurement process. Our team goes beyond merely providing legal advice, we act as trusted advisors who understand our clients’ business objectives and enhance their vision by integrating strategic insights alongside regulatory and legal considerations. Proactivity is also key in our client engagements. We anticipate challenges and opportunities, allowing our clients to receive timely guidance and solutions to mitigate risks and optimize outcomes.

Additionally, we believe in joining forces with our clients’ internal technical teams, collaborating closely to leverage their expertise and align strategies effectively. By combining our legal proficiency with our clients’ industry insights, we develop comprehensive and innovative approaches that address both legal requirements and business objectives.

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Can you describe the types of support and assistance Dentons provides to clients navigating public procurement processes in Romania?

We are a full-service, one-stop shop law firm that provides comprehensive support and assistance to clients throughout every step of the public procurement process. This includes project strategy development, documentation analysis, procedural assistance, and project implementation. We take pride in offering holistic support before, during, and after the project lifecycle. Our advisory team also works closely with our litigation team to ensure seamless coordination and alignment of strategies.

Furthermore, Dentons offers legal assistance on companies’ internal policies covering procurement compliance, as well as addressing ESG aspects. These resources are dedicated to both public and private companies, ensuring that our clients have access to guidance and support tailored to their specific needs and objectives.

Additionally, we provide tailored training sessions to equip clients with the knowledge and skills needed to navigate procurement processes effectively.

Which industries have been the primary source of clients requesting training on public procurement recently?

Customized training sessions and workshops are invaluable tools for keeping our clients ahead of the curve and ensuring compliance with public procurement regulations and practices. Recently, we’ve observed a significant demand for our legal training services in public procurement, particularly from clients in the healthcare, energy, IT&C, and infrastructure sectors.

Could you share examples of your client engagements in public procurement, highlighting the nature of the collaboration and the outcomes achieved?

One recent notable example involves our work in the realm of IT&C public procurement where we provided legal assistance to a cloud services company in connection with the tenders related to the governmental cloud infrastructure, successfully navigating licensing and authorization issues hereof.

In another instance, we were mandated to draft a public procurement compliance manual tailored for a contracting entity operating in the energy sector. This involved extensive collaboration with the client to understand their unique challenges and requirements and the resulting manual provided clear guidance on compliance with procurement regulations, empowering the client to conduct procurement processes effectively and mitigate risks.

Additionally, we provide continuous support and guidance across all stages of defense procurement contracts, ensuring strict adherence to regulatory standards and offset requirements for a prominent company operating within the defense sector.

We are currently involved in complex projects within the nuclear industry, providing legal assistance on structuring contract and procurement strategies, while also supporting clients in building and conducting dialogue with key stakeholders at both national and European levels.

Could you outline some common challenges that businesses face when engaging in public procurement processes in Romania, and how they can be mitigated?

The rapid and multifaceted changes in the legislative framework stand as a significant challenge, not only within the realm of public procurement projects but also across various practices and sectors. Our team in Bucharest remains vigilant in staying abreast of these changes, ensuring that we promptly assist clients in adjusting their strategies to align with the latest legal requirements and standards. By maintaining a proactive approach, we strive to safeguard our clients’ interests and optimize their compliance efforts in this dynamic regulatory landscape.

Another challenge lies in engaging with authorities. In this regard, we assist clients in fostering constructive dialogue with authorities, helping them build bridges and address procurement processes more effectively.

ESG and the integration of sustainability practices into procurement strategies are topics that have grown in importance, keeping our clients’ agendas busy and alert. Currently, our team is providing guidance and ensuring compliance with evolving standards in this area.

As drivers of innovation, our team maintains an open-minded approach to problem-solving, enabling us to address issues with agility and adaptability. Our approach emphasizes flexibility in legal interpretation, allowing us to find creative and pragmatic solutions to complex public procurement legal challenges.

Dentons is the world’s largest global law firm. How do you collaborate with the other offices within Firm?

Dentons benefits from a vast network that enables seamless collaboration across offices. This advantage becomes particularly evident in complex projects, where we have the opportunity to create multidisciplinary teams, especially for intricate infrastructure projects. Leveraging our network allows us to access a diverse pool of expertise and resources from different regions and legal disciplines. This collaborative approach ensures that we can provide clients with tailored solutions that encompass a comprehensive understanding of local regulations and global best practices.

How have consultancy services in public procurement evolved in the Romanian business environment in recent years? What are your expectations for their future development?

In recent years, there has been a noticeable increase in the sophistication of legal services, with a growing recognition of the necessity for an interdisciplinary approach. This approach fosters synergies with clients’ internal teams, particularly in strategy and communication aspects. I anticipate that this trend will continue into the future.

As lawyers are part of the ecosystem for successful project implementation, offering valuable insights and guidance throughout the procurement process, I emphasize the importance of early involvement in projects to effectively mitigate potential risks. Collaboration and a proactive approach are key components of risk management, ensuring that clients are well-prepared to navigate the evolving landscape of public procurement in Romania.