Gov’t to consider unsolicited proposals

The Department of Finance (DOF) is considering unsolicited proposals from the private sector to help jumpstart the execution of capital-intensive infrastructure projects that create jobs and invigorate the economy.

Finance Undersecretary Karen G. Singson said that government projects on improving public transport and logistics are among the Public Private Partnership (PPP) ventures that are open for unsolicited proposals.

“The other policy that we’ve considered… and now looking into is unsolicited proposal and that is opening options for the government to enter into projects with the private sector,” Singson said in a statement.

The finance official said that opening PPP ventures to unsolicited proposals would be a better option because it would allow the government to take advantage of the efficiency and technological innovations of the private sector.

She said that it will also free the government from commitments on providing subsidies or sovereign guarantees to projects.

“Transport projects or logistics projects that would basically have no cost for the government, no subsidy, no guarantees,” Singson said.

“The private sector is sometimes more efficient in coming up with ideas, we’re really willing to work with them,” she added.

An unsolicited proposal would then be subjected to Swiss challenge or competitive bidding in the form of counterproposals from other interested private parties. The original proponent bags the project if it opts to top or surpass the best offer from among the rival bidders.

Singson said that to help encourage private-sector participation in government projects, the DOF is now vigorously implementing an anti-red tape program spearheaded by Finance Undersecretary Gil S. Beltran.

Finance Secretary Carlos G. Dominguez III created the Anti-Red Tape Team in July headed by Beltran, following the directive of President Duterte to drastically cut red tape in the bureaucracy.

The DOF and the newly created Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) have started identifying the data to be gathered from various government agencies for the automated business and citizen registries.

The DOF and DICT plan to make operational before the end of the year, in compliance with the President’s directive.