BULGARIAN ASSOCIATION OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES

The Bulgarian Association of Information Technologies (BAIT) is the biggest, most representative and influential branch organization in the sphere of information and communication technologies in Bulgaria.

Established in 1995, presently 135 member companies and organizations are enlisted in it. The Association includes companies in the trend of hardware, software, system integration, networks, telecommunications, Internet suppliers, etc. A great part of them provide their own solutions, products and services. BAIT companies are getting more and more successfully positioned finding an increasingly welcome presence at foreign markets in all sectors of the information and communication technologies. Bulgarian agencies of leading world manufacturers are among its members, too.

The companies, members of BAIT make for over 69% from the ICT market in Bulgaria. The prevailing part of the most substantial projects from Public Orders contracts in the ICT field are undertaken by BAIT member-companies and the amount of their share income surpasses 80%.

The mission of BAIT is to protect the general interests of its members by actively working for the establishing of information society in this country, for the development of the Bulgarian ICT industry and of the ICT market in general.

BAIT actively supports its members in their efforts to implement European Union projects, sustaining them to participate in various feasibility programs and for a more successful adaptation to the latest market conditions. In order to achieve these targets of its own, BAIT actively cooperates with the state government authorities and especially with the State Agency for Information Technologies (SAIT), with the Parliamentary commissions aiming to support them by providing expertise references in the process of ICT state policy formation.
The Association conducts a consecutive policy for the establishment of a regular market background in Bulgaria in the sphere of information technologies, of transparency and of equal rights among the companies at the market, by flatly opposing any attempts for corruptive practices. BAIT works with the Ministry of Education and Science on a long term program aiming to bring higher the educational level through implementing the information technologies into the process of education.
In order to access its goals, BAIT also cooperates with other non-governmental branch and employer’s organizations in this country sharing with them the ideas and targets of the organization.
BAIT is striving to develop active contacts with similar organizations from this geographical region. It is a member of DIGITALEUROPE (former EICTA). The Association is a partner in the project developing of BSP, ISIS and other European based projects enhancing the integration of Bulgaria in the European Union.

BAIT is the host organizer of BAIT EXPO – the biggest and only specialized annual exhibition of information technologies in Bulgaria launched in 1985. BAIT is also founder of the prestigious annual prize for considerable contribution in the development of the information and communication technologies which is officially submitted on the opening date of the exhibition.