The Ministry of Finance and Planning has issued a directive to all state institutions, mandating the completion and submission of their Annual Public Procurement Plans for 2025 during January. This initiative aims to streamline the procurement process while ensuring transparency and accountability within government operations.
In accordance with the Public Finance Regulation, state institutions are required to publish their procurement plans, detailing all assets and services they intend to acquire in the coming year. These plans encompass goods, works, consultancy services, and non-consultancy services that the government entities plan to procure throughout the year.
The plans will include information such as the description of the procurement, the procuring entity, and the planned dates for carrying out the procurement. This detailed reporting is crucial for maintaining oversight and ensuring that state institutions adhere to budgetary and operational guidelines.
The finance ministry, which oversees the procurement processes, highlighted the importance of timely submission. In a circular, the ministry urged all state institutions to complete and submit their plans on or before 16 January 2025. Local councils have been given a final submission deadline of 26 January 2025, according to the ministry, while all plans should be uploaded using the procurement module in the 'Bandeyri' portal.
The Annual Public Procurement Plans for 2024 were published on the ministry's website in February 2024. The ministry aims to maintain this timeline by publishing the 2025 plans during February or March 2025, it said.
In parallel with these efforts, the government is also working on establishing an electronic government procurement (e-GP) system. This system is part of the Public Financial Management Systems Strengthening Project, supported by the International Development Association (IDA) of the World Bank. The e-GP system is expected to enhance transparency, accountability, economic efficiency, and public participation in the procurement process.