Government to streamline procurement process

Prime Minister Peter O’Neill has announced that the government’s procurement process is to be streamlined.

 A committee headed by chief secretary Manasupe Zurenuoc reviewed the procurement process of government and found it to be lengthy and cumbersome.

 This often led to government projects being unnecessarily frustrated or delayed, hindering delivery of vital services to the people.

Prime Minister Peter O’Neill

 

 The streamlined procurement process was presented last month to the prime minister, who directed finance minister James Marape to implement it without delay.

 The prime minister told Marape he did not want to see any more national Government and aid agency-funded projects delayed.

 “It is imperative that the current procurement process is streamlined and made user friendly. 

"If we do not take this action, there is every chance the 2013 national budget will suffer the same fate of successive budget,” the prime minister said in his letter to the minister.

 In addition, the chief secretary’s   review team has recommended for increases in the financial authority of the Supply and Tenders Boards, and financial authority at the district level for the District Support Improvement Program (DSIP).

 Under the streamlined process, the Central Supply Tenders Board authority financial increased from K10 million to K20 million, the Provincial Supply Tenders Board from K3 million to K5 million, and DSIP from K0.3 million to K0.5 million.

The streamlined procurement process has seven stages, compared to 11 stages of the old one.

 The Office of State Solicitor will be involved in the whole process, and give its clearance before the national executive council (NEC) for contracts requiring NEC approval.

 The prime minister directed minister Marape to finalise the special financial instruction or regulation to effect the streamlined process quickly.

 The streamlining of the procurement process is one of a raft of decisions and initiatives the government is putting in place to ensure the 2013 budget and its key policies are implemented.

 “This is one of a number of steps our government is taking to ensure we are focused and on target to deliver our goals,” the prime minister said.