Public Procurement Process Guided by Four Basic Principles

Persons seeking to provide services to the Government are being reminded that the public procurement process is guided by four basic principles.

Chief Public Procurement Policy Officer at the Ministry of Finance and the Public Service, Andrei Bennett, explained to JIS News that the principles exist to provide a level playing field for all bidders on government contracts.

“The principle of Transparency says government must be open and forthright and must also ensure that all suppliers have the ability to see when contract opportunities are available. It also states that anyone who is interested can understand the actions and decisions that have been taken in the public procurement transactions,” Mr. Bennett said.

Public procurement is the acquisition of goods, works and services by the Government and State-owned enterprises.

“The second principle of Competition says, as far as possible, Government should ensure that all the suppliers who can, will get a shot at earning a contract. Three is the principle of Equitable Treatment that says once you are able to supply, you should be asked to supply,” Mr. Bennett said.

For the principle of equitable treatment, Mr. Bennett said that bidders should receive the same treatment right across the board, and there should be no distinction unless there’s a good reason for doing so.

“Finally, there is the principle of Proportionality, and that says we should not do what goes beyond what is necessary to get things done. So, all the bureaucratic and difficult parts of the process, we must be careful to reduce those so that we can get into contract quickly and get that contract implemented in the best possible way,” Mr. Bennett said.

Anyone can be a supplier to the Government of goods, works and services. However, there are two criteria that must be met in order to do so.

“Ordinarily, suppliers must be registered with the Public Procurement Commission and must be tax-compliant in order to be eligible to participate, but there is no discrimination, there is no fetter on your participation,” Mr. Bennett concluded.