The Central Procurement Board of Namibia (CPBN) has moved to overhaul how bid evaluators are appointed.
This was done by introducing stricter procedures in what appears to be a direct response to mounting public pressure for transparency, accountability and delays in the country’s public procurement system.
In a statement issued this week, CPBN spokesperson Johanna Kambala noted that new measures are designed to “improve service delivery” and reinforce “transparency and accountability”. These are key principles that have repeatedly come under scrutiny in previous reports surrounding the Board’s operations.
The reforms centre on the appointment of Bid Evaluation Committee (BEC) members, which is a critical cog in the procurement process responsible for assessing multimillion-dollar public tenders. Historically, concerns have been raised about the pace of procurement evaluations, perceived inconsistencies in decision-making, and the technical capacity of some committee members. These are issues that have, at times, delayed major infrastructure and service delivery projects.
The CPBN derives its authority from the Public Procurement Act, which empowers it to appoint members to bid evaluation committees, including individuals nominated by public entities. In line with Section 26 of the Act, these committees are constituted on an ad hoc basis and are drawn from the general public rather than from within the CPBN itself.
This structure is intended to safeguard the CPBN’s independence but has also exposed the system to capacity gaps.
Under the revised framework, the CPBN is introducing significantly tighter entry requirements and oversight mechanisms. Prospective BEC members will now be required to hold qualifications accredited by the Namibia Qualifications Authority, ensuring that only suitably qualified individuals are entrusted with evaluating complex bids.
In addition, applicants must produce a valid, clean certificate of conduct issued by the Namibian Police, a measure aimed at strengthening integrity checks amid growing concern over governance standards in public procurement. In a notable shift, the CPBN is also introducing compulsory structured training and competency assessments before candidates can be appointed.
This requirement directly addresses longstanding criticism that some evaluation committee members lacked technical expertise to assess highly specialised bids, particularly in sectors such as energy, construction and information and communication technology.
Equally significant is the requirement that candidates confirm uninterrupted availability from the bid closing date.