24 Mar 2013

 

The Public Procurement and Asset Disposal Board (PPADB) considered 444 submissions, of which 243 were approved, 129 deferred and 72 rejected during the current financial year to date.

Addressing a press conference, Public Procurement and Asset Disposal Board executive chairperson, Ms Bridget John said the value of procurement that went through the board was more than P46 million in 2009/2010.     

                 

In 2010/2011 and 2011/2012, Ms John said the total procurement value was more than P1 billion and P3 billion, respectively while in the  2012/2013 financial year, procurement value was P4 billion.

 

“We are given a very sensitive mandate at PPADB, to adjudicate, award tenders and register contractors wishing to do business with the government, monitor compliance to the act and provide advice on public procurement and asset disposal,” Ms John said.

 

She also noted that of the 30 targeted site visits, the PPADB undertook 15 visits to view ongoing projects. The visits, she said, were intended to assess whether projects were executed as per award “in order to advise PEs on timely interventions as well as inform the board’s future award decisions.” 

 

To improve efficiency, she said there was an ongoing integrated procurement management system. She also added that PPADB was preparing for ISO certification by May 2013.

 

Furthermore, Ms John said the board has had both success and challenges in implementing its 2008-2013 strategy, adding that the process of formulating a new five-year strategy was about to commerce. 

 

She said to ensure their organisational structure facilitates the implementation of the strategy, she said the structure would be reviewed. 

 

She also said the mandatory compliance requirements for tender were also being reviewed to avoid unnecessary barriers to competition.

 

She said PPADB was involved in performance assessments, which she said had greatly assisted in improving the compliance of procurement entities to the requirements of the act and regulations.

 

This year, she said, the PPADB had conducted 11 ministerial tender committees and eight district administration tender committees visits against a target of 16 and nine respectively.

 

“It is expected that the remaining visits will be undertaken by the end of March,” Ms John added.

The press conference was meant to update the media on progress in relation to PPADB’s work, challenges and planned activities.                      

The event was also intended to get feedback in terms of what the board should do to continuously improve on the efficiency and integrity of the public procurement and asset disposal system. ENDS