- Kenya’s e-GP project inception report was prepared and approved sometime last year by June.
- The report provided for the e-GP project management structure, project implementation plan and risk management.
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Multilateral development banks such as the World Bank, European Bank and the AfDB have developed a joint assessment tool seeking to streamline public procurement in partner countries such as Kenya.
The tool seeks to assess the electronic government procurement (e-GP) system to enhance transparency, credibility and efficiency in the procurement of goods, works, or service contracts financed by the lenders.
“This is in a bid to reduce corruption and minimize potential collusion among suppliers and bidders,” AfDB says.
Dubbed the ‘Methodology for Assessing Procurement Systems (MAPS), the tool will undertake a deep assessment of a country’s e-GP system to recommend a strategic plan of action or an agenda for reform on occasion the systems do not meet the minimum requirements set by the lenders.
The e-GP refers to the use of information technology (especially the internet) by government institutions and other public sector organisations in conducting and managing their procurement activities and relationships with providers of goods, works and services required by the public sector.
The assessment can be undertaken for e-GP systems at both the national and sub-national levels of government.
Additionally, the assessment can be used for e-GP systems at the agency level, where there is not a national or sub-national procurement system in place, or the procuring entity is permitted to use a separate system.
Kenya like other fund-receiver countries, is increasingly digitising government services to enhance efficiency and promote transparency.
This is also the case in the area of public procurement, where governments are adopting the use of electronic government procurement (e-GP) systems.
Kenya’s e-GP project inception report was prepared and approved sometime last year by June, the report provided for the e-GP project management structure, project implementation plan and risk management.
With the system already incorporated in certain sectors, the country is thus looking forward to the impact of the newly developed assessment tool to enhance transparency and accountability.
AfDB reiterates that effective utilization of e-GP systems is critical for the development and progress of a country’s projects, by consolidating procurement-related data and offering comprehensive insights.
The lender adds that the initiative typically helps to lower transaction costs and expedite the achievement of the development outcomes sought under the projects they finance.
“As a result, all stages of the procurement process can potentially benefit from digitisation, including procurement planning, advertising of opportunities, preparation and issuance of initial selection, bidding and request for proposal documents, receipt and responses to requests for clarification, receipt, opening and evaluation of submissions, notification of the intention to award contracts, publication of results, as well as contract management and payments.”