Bill to Modernize Public Procurement Tabled in the House

A Bill aimed at modernizing Jamaica’s public procurement laws was laid in the House of Representatives on July 30.

The Bill entitled, the Public Procurement Act, 2014 was tabled by Minister with responsibility for Public Service in the Ministry of Finance and Planning, Hon. Horace Dalley.

In a statement to the Lower House, Mr. Dalley said the law will reflect new policy thinking and international best practice in the area of public procurement.

He said it will also provide for the establishment of the Procurement Policy Office, the Public Procurement Commission and strengthen and expand the function of the procurement review board that will regulate and harmonize the public procurement process.

“(The Bill) also promotes economic development by ensuring value for money in public expenditure, and the participation in public procurement by qualified providers of goods, works and services, and to provide for other related matters,” Mr. Dalley stated.

He said the move towards a new comprehensive law governing public procurement is intended to simplify and streamline the legislative framework and create enforceable and bidding obligations for persons involved in procurement.

“It will also provide for criminal sanctions for persons found guilty of benefitting through corrupt means from public procurement,” Mr. Dalley said.

The Bill will also delete from the Contractor General’s Act, all provisions related to the National Contracts Commission (NCC), which is to be replaced by the new Public Procurement Commission.

The methods of procurement have also been expanded, and the circumstances in which bidding occurs expanded to include two stages, open and closed framework agreements, as well as electronic government procurement.

A Joint Select Committee of Parliament is to be established to examine the legislation.