World Bank to track contracts implementation
MBABANE – Contract allocation is imperative to a project as it determines the quality of the works expected in the final results.
2ne of the main issues affecting procurement in (swatini is contract allocation, where the private sector is of the view that favouritism is applied when allocating contracts.
7his has dominated the number com plaints submitted by most companies to (swatini 3ublic 3rocurement 5eg ulatory $gency (6335$ when the intention to award I7$ is released.
World Bank¶s &hief 3rocurement 2fficer &32 (n]o de /aurentis said the World Bank has significantly improved its I7 systems to track physical and financial implementation of contracts.
Issues
/aurentis was speaking yesterday during the $frican 3ublic 3rocurement 1etwork $331 6econd *eneral $ssembly 6*$ hosted by (swatini at +ilton *arden Inn, 0babane.
7he &)2 said they had .ey 3erfor mance Indicators .3Is and other tools to follow up on issues and rem edy them. ³7his is going to be a tool that we will of course, provide to our clients and we will use ourselves in our oversight function of our proMects. I don¶t know if you¶re familiar in the bank, there is an independent panel that looks after complaints on the way that the company has come from our own environmental and social policies,´ he said.
+e added that they were also work ing on guidance on supply chain man agement to help their buyer countries build resilience in their supply chains.
/aurentis said this would increase private sector participation.
$frican 3ublic 3rocurement &hair person (6335$ &hief (xecutive 2fficer &(2 9usumutiwendvod]a 0atsebula added that the world has changed, and we have to all change with it.
+e said time has come to re energise public procurement systems after all the detours, the distractions, disrup tions, inflations and shortages of the recent months and years presented by &29I' .
Challenge
0atsebula said, they have faced a mammoth challenge during the pan demic and have met that challenge.
³2ur targets and commitments have not changed however, we cannot go back to the way things were. We need to be flexible and deal with parameters which are not in our control, and sce narios that were earlier inconceivable, hence now have become a reality,´ he said. 7he &(2 also mentioned that transforming the way governments conducted business would not happen overnight and won¶t be easy. +e said procurement has a vital role to play in supporting and strengthening coun tries and the continent. 0eanwhile, 0inister for )inance 1eal 5iMkenberg also mentioned that public procure ment represents on average per cent to per cent of *'3. +e said the global expenditure in procurement is estimated at nearly 86 . trillion.
7he minister eluded that the 3ublic 3rocurement system drives $frica¶s economy. +e said through procure ment, the government fulfils its prom ise to citi]ens in funding education, infrastructure, health, agriculture and security, among others.
$t the same time, suppliers of these goods and services get income to run their businesses whose multiplier effect includes creation of employ ment for citi]ens leading to economic growth.
Importance
5iMkenberg said the *overnment of (swatini recognises the importance of the network in providing a platform for research, learning and networking to public procurement policymakers, regulators and practitioners of its member countries.
³It is no longer Must about achieving transactional efficiency. It is about the procurement function moving from being a compliance centre to being a strategic expertise provider.´
I am pleased to see that the pro gramme for this conference includes the discussion on using public pro curement data to support sustainable and inclusive economic development, environmentally and socially respon sible procurement and implementation of (lectronic *overnment 3rocure ment ( *3 ,´ he added.
7he minister further mentioned that the $331 has become a resource to procurement entities seeking to gain experience in the public procurement process.