WINDHOEK – The long-awaited new Public Procurement Bill will be tabled next week Tuesday according to Presidential Affairs Minister Dr Albert Kawana.
Speaking on behalf of the Minister of Finance Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila, Kawana on Tuesday informed the National Assembly that the finance minister would introduce a bill to regulate the procurement of goods and services, the letting or hiring of anything or the acquisition or granting of rights for or on behalf of public bodies. Once approved by parliament, the new law will do away with the current tender board and establish the Procurement Policy Office, the Central Procurement Board, procurement committees and procurement management units. The new law will also provide for the establishment of bid evaluation committees; provisions on procurement methods; bidding processes; bidding challenges and review mechanisms. The bill is expected to make public procurement more transparent and accessible to the entire private sector, while offering preferential and equal access to small and medium size enterprises, as well as promote local sourcing and entrepreneurship development.
Tonateni Shidhudhu