Government Awarded $50.5 Billion in Contracts Last Fiscal Year

A total of 3,062 contracts, valued at approximately $50.5 billion, were awarded by Government during the 2013/14 fiscal year, for the provision of a range of services for Ministries, Departments, and Agencies.

Of this number 2,537 were for the provision of general services; 339 – consultancy services; 105 – security services; and 81 – janitorial services.

This was disclosed by Minister without Portfolio (Public Service), Ministry of Finance and Planning, Hon. Horace Dalley, during his 2014/15 Sectoral Debate presentation in the House of Representatives on Tuesday, July 8, under the theme: ‘Consolidating the Gains towards Economic Growth Reform and Public Sector Modernization’.

Noting that public procurement has a “significant impact” on the local and national economy, accounting for 30 per cent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), Mr. Dalley said it remains a “high priority area” of focus for the Government.

Pointing to several initiatives being implemented to improve the procurement regime, the Minister asserted that improving the transparency, integrity, and efficiency of the process “is at the forefront” of the reform process, currently being undertaken.

This undertaking includes: promulgating a new procurement law; introducing electronic government procurement, and a new contractor registration system; establishing a public procurement policy office in the Ministry of Finance and Planning, and a Public Appeals Board; separating the National Contracts Commission (NCC) from the Office of the Contractor General (OCG); and renaming the NCC the Public Procurement Commission.