Report by Engineering Post
The Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA) has undertaken various strategic initiatives for ensuring transparency, accountability, and quality in public procurement of goods, works, and services.
According to the information available Aligning with the best international practices and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs 16(^), Standard Procurement documents have since been developed to streamline the procurement process, ensuring clarity, simplification, consistency, and standardization. These included National Standard Bidding Bidding Documents for various procurement categories, such as the goods, consultancy services, closed framework agreement, therapeutic goods (pharmaceuticals), and information system.
During the last financial year 2023-24, amendments in PPRA Ordinance have been made to include the provisions for the disposal of public assets. Accordingly, the procurement agencies have been mandated to establish mechanisms for redressing the grievances in all bidding processes.
PPRA has also issued regulations for the disposal of public assets, mechanisms for blacklisting and debarment of the bidders or the contractors , and also standard bidding documents for the procurement of civil works as well as of the cloud services.
The Electronic Procurement and Administration Contracting Systems projects was being implemented under the World Bank PFR component which aimed to fully automate the public process in Pakistan. In this regard, significant has been made, including the development of inception reports, feasibility studies, gap analysis, software requirement specifications, and key modules covering the entire procurement cycle.
Moreover , Memorandums of Understanding ( MoUs) have also been signed with provincial PPRA entities and other government entities including NADRA, SECP, Pakistan Engineering Council (PEC), Federal Bureau of Revenue , PRAL, DRAP, Press Information Department (PID), Punjab Revenue Authority etc. for verification , system integration, and information exchange. A help desk has also been established to support the users. Already, an extensive training programme has been implemented at the federal and provincial levels, benefitting over 7800 participants from various procurement agencies.
