Electronic Procurement System Launched

The Ministry of Finance and Planning has launched Jamaica’s first electronic  procurement platform, which will significantly improve efficiency and transparency in the acquisition of goods, services and works.

The E-Procurement System, launched on July 31 under the theme: ‘Faster, Easier and More Efficient Way of Doing Business’, is in keeping with the Government’s commitment to strengthen and promote Public Procurement Reform under the Economic Reform Programme (ERP).

The system will result in a reduction in administrative costs, as well as in processing time.

Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Finance and Planning, Hon. Horace Dalley, speaking at the ceremony at the Pegasus Hotel, said modernisation of the public procurement system is a critical step as Jamaica continues to make new alliances and become more competitive on the world stage.

“The Government is the largest purchaser of goods and services. For there to be efficiency, quality, transparency and accountability, we felt that the public procurement regime should have been overhauled and that has been done,” he said.

A Public Procurement Bill was passed in Parliament in early July.

Mr. Dalley said for the last fiscal year, 378 consulting contracts were procured on behalf of the Jamaican government, valued at $1.459 billion. Procurement activities for goods were valued at $48 billion; $8.49 billion for services and for works, approximately $9 billion. Procurement activities for insurance services were valued at $773.3 million.

The Minister  said staff from the Ministry and its agencies have been trained and will be given internationally-recognised certification.

Mr. Dalley said  this should put the Government of Jamaica in a position, “where we will have a group of skilled, trained and certified public procurement officers that can (fully) move us into the 21^st Century.”

“This is not being done in isolation. This is what public sector transformation is all about; how we do business, the ease in doing business and how the people of Jamaica, our customers, have access to the system of governance,” he added.

Features of the E-Procurement Portal include standardized procurement practices in line with international best practices; effective management of the entire procurement life cycle; and easy access to information.  There will also be wider supplier participation in procurement proceedings, as well as improved procurement statistics.

The development of the portal was done through funding by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB).