ISLAMABAD: Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA) has sought proposals for appropriate amendments to the PPRA Rules, without compromising the obligations of probity and transparency, well informed sources told Business Recorder.
The Federal Cabinet in its meeting held on March 30, 2024, witnessed a heated debate on the unsuitability of existing PPRA rules, which has become an instrument of hurdle in procurement by the government agencies.
PPRA in its letter to the concerned Ministries/ Divisions stated that its letter pertains to the decision made during the Cabinet meeting which took place on March 30,2024.
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During this meeting, the Cabinet issued directives to the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority, as follows: “hold consultations with relevant Ministries, in particular, Finance, Energy, Commerce, Defence, Industries & Production, National Food Security and Research, and Information Technology & Telecommunications, to determine the shortcomings in existing public procurement rules.”
During the discussion that followed, it was observed that the public procurement rules had, in general, become an impediment to timely, efficient and quality procurement by government organisations and were causing serious implementation delays and were also adversely affecting the quality of outcomes of government policies and initiatives.
PPRA in its letter highlighted the significant progress achieved over the past few years in enhancing the efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and transparency of public procurement processes. During this period, a total of 09 regulations were notified, aimed at streamlining and improving public procurement practices.
Furthermore, to simplify and elaborate on the regulatory framework, a total of 25 amendments have been introduced. Of these, 14 amendments were made to Rules as per SRO. 442(l)/12020 of May 19, 2020, while an additional 11 amendments were notified under SRO 834(1)/2021 of June 29, 2021.
“These amendments serve to refine and enhance the existing procurement rules, contributing to a more conducive environment for conducting business.
The simplification and elaboration of the regulatory framework are expected to facilitate ease of doing business, ultimately fostering a more favourable environment for procurement activities,“ said Dr Aslam J Abro, Director (Monitoring & Evaluation).
According to PPRA, in collaboration with Ministries, Divisions, Departments, Authorities and guided by international best practices, the Authority has formulated National Standard documents for goods, Framework Agreement for supply of goods and allied services, RFP for hiring consultancy services, bidding document for procurement of therapeutic goods (pharmaceutical), SBD for procurement of information system( supply & installation), SBDs for procurement of Works ( Civil Works and RFP documents for Cloud Services, notified to enhance clarity, eliminate inconsistencies with regulatory frameworks, and promote uniformity throughout the procurement process.
By offering clear guidelines and templates for various procurement activities, these documents facilitate transparency, efficiency, and equity in procurement procedures, thereby bolstering governance and accountability.
The Authority also acknowledged that the review and assessment of procurement laws, rules, regulations, policies, and procedures is a continual and dynamic process.
As implementing agencies, Ministries/ Departments, etc., are well-placed to identify practical challenges and well-considered suggestions and recommendations may be proposed to make the procurement regulatory framework consistent with the evolving imperatives of modern governance, without compromising the obligations of probity and transparency.
The Authority anticipated receiving substantive suggestions and recommendations from the respective Ministries within ten days of the receipt of this letter.
Following this, a consultative workshop will be organised to consolidate and refine the proposals, with the aim of further enhancing the procurement regulatory framework.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2024
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