Public procurement committees reconstituted to streamline the tender process

The new government installed by the President is grappling with a number of key issues from the economy to financial allocations for ministries and state institutions. It is unable to formulate and carry out public services, procurement process as well as development projects following an interim injunction issued by the Appeal Court on the new administration.

With no sign of ending the political impasse in sight, the ongoing procurements by ministries and state institutions have been stalled although necessary changes were made to four key committees entrusted to carry out this task, official sources said.

The new cabinet of ministers had approved a proposal to reconstitute these committees in accordance with the current changes in ministries on November 21.

But the interim injunction issued by the Appeal Court on December 3 restraining the functions of new ministers has made these cabinet- appointed committees dysfunctional, a senior government official told the Business Times.

In this context, Finance Ministry Secretary S.R. Attygalle has issued a public finance circular to all ministry secretaries making several directives in accordance with this cabinet decision.

In his circular No 07/ 2018, he directed, ministry secretaries to hand over the ongoing procurements of the ministries which no longer exist due to recent changes in ministerial portfolios and subjects to the appropriate ministries newly appointed by the President.

The remaining activities in the procurement process should be carried out by the Standing Cabinet Appointed Procurement Committee (SCAPC).

This directive is yet to be imple- mented as top ministry officials are adopting a wait- and- see attitude owing to doubts in the legal validity of these directives, the official said.

Former secretaries who have already been appointed as the chairman/member of the SCAPC and do not hold a secretary post and still in the government service have been directed to continue the service.

Retired public officials who have been appointed as members of the Cabinet Appointed Procurement Committees ( CAPCs) in the ministries where the portfolios have not been changed are allowed to continue their services.

The Department of Public Finance will appoint or reconstitute the SCAPCs, CAPCs, Cabinet Ap p o i n t e d N e g o t i a t i n g Committees ( CANCs), and Cabinet Appointed Consultants Procurement Committees ( CACPCs) as required in case where it is necessary, the circular indicated.

Political instability and current ad hoc regulatory environment continues to erode public confidence as well as the confidence of public officials.

Public accountability systems, processes and institutions are becoming weak day by day with no solution for political instability created by the President following the end of his one week dead line where he pledged to the nation to resolve the ongoing crisis by Tuesday.

Civil society, donors, and the international community are exerting pressure on the President who came to power in January 2015 with the mandate of providing “Good Governance,” in order to improve the governance system and to accomplish much-needed economic and social development.