BY TOM BRIAN ANGURINI
Conflict of interest and corruption in the evaluation process top the list of challenges that have continued to cripple the services of the Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets (PPDA).
This is according to a new report from a survey on integrity risks in the procurement sector.
According to Benson Turamye, the PPDA executive director, the report also points to familiarity with bidders over time, personal interests such as gifts, as well as having no checks and balances on the assessing officers.
He adds that the risks listed in public procurement provide an opportunity to implement E-Government Procurement to increase efficiency substantially, and reduce interface between providers and public officials.
He says the system has been developed and is currently being piloted in 12 entities and later on it is expected to be rolled out to all government agencies within the next two financial years.
Efforts have also been made to amend the 2003 PPDA Act to strengthen the sanctions regime in the PPDA Act to make accounting officers more accountable for their actions.
