By: Staff Writer
March 11, Colombo (LNW): Sri Lanka’s public procurement framework based on guidelines issued in 2006/7 is undergoing a major transformation with further upgrading of e-procurement system currently in operation since 2019, public finance department sources said.
Although e- government procurement system is being operated, it has not yet fully digitised the current process vulnerable to malpractices because it is very difficult to monitor transactions, a high official of the finance ministry said.
.A seven member high official team visited Bangladesh this week to gain in-depth technical and practical knowledge on Bangladesh authority’s successful implementation of e-GP, he revealed.
Dohatec New Media is the lead consultant for the operation and management of the e-GP system, along with Beximco IT Division and GSS Infotech Ltd in Bangladesh.
The Sri Lankan Team has undergone comprehensive study on Data Center Management and e-GP System Security, new technology adoption in e-GP, e-GP System Operation and Management, and overview of e-GP in Bangladesh.
Dohatec New Media experts presented a detailed description on the practical aspects of e-GP to the Sri Lankan official team during their three day study tour of Bangladesh concluded on Wednesday 04. .
They also visited the local government engineering office to gain practical insights into e-GP implementation. The World Bank has been assisting Bangladesh in the implementation of the e-GP system.
The Sri Lankan team comprised officials from the e-GP Secretariat, the National Procurement Commission, the Department of Information Technology Management and the Department of Public Finance.
The Department of Public Finance has expedited the public procurement framework transformation process in view of the introducing of a new Public Procurement Law in December 2024.
A regulatory body will be established under the new law with necessary authority and competency for the modernisation of the legal framework, public finance department high official disclosed.
The country currently lacks a formal legislative basis for procurement. All government procurement are being carried out in accordance with Cabinet approved guidelines.
The Procurement Guidelines 2006, sets out various procurement methods, bidding procedures, and rules for awarding contracts.
The proposed law is aimed at enhancing the effectiveness, efficiency and transparency in the public procurement system he said.
This will be a fulfillment of International Monetary Fund conditions under its public reforms and management of public resources.
The government authorities recognise that public procurement remains an area of governance weakness, with associated corruption vulnerabilities, despite attempts to improve its effectiveness.
The reports of the Finance Ministry, the Auditor-General’s Department, and the Department of Management of Audit have indicated procurement malpractices and corruption that have led to inefficiencies and waste of scarce state resources.
