Procurement reform bill highlights digitalization, innovation in gov't purchase system
Department of Budget and Management (DBM) Secretary Mina F. Pangandaman expressed the belief that digitalization and innovation, which are at the heart of House Bill No. 9648 or the proposed new Government Procurement Reform Act (GPRA), will address gaps in the system of purchasing goods and services.
“Towards efficiency, we will
streamline processes through digitalization and innovation by adopting
electronic (e)-bidding and by modernizing the centralized procurement system of
the Procurement Service (PS)-DBM,” said Sec. Pangandaman.
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. earlier urged the legislative branch to enact
a new government procurement law and a new government auditing code to make
procurement and auditing “more attuned
to these changing times.”
The proposed new GPRA aims to promote transparency, competitiveness,
efficiency, proportionality, accountability, public monitoring, procurement
professionalization, and sustainability in government procurement.
“The Philippine Government Electronic
Procurement System (PhilGEPS) offers innovative features and solutions,
including e-reverse auction, e-shopping/e-small-value procurement, and the
e-marketplace which will be expanded to include non-common-use supplies with a
registration facility for qualified suppliers,” Pangandaman added.
Section 6 (Adoption of an Electronic Procurement System) of the new GPRA says
PhilGEPS shall be “the single electronic portal that shall serve as the primary
channel and source of information in the conduct of all procurement activities
by the government for the acquisition of goods, infrastructure projects, and
consulting services that covers procurement planning until payment.”
These innovative features include the following:
Electronic Bulletin Board for
posting procurement opportunities, notices, awards, and reasons for awarding;
Registry of Manufacturers, Suppliers,
Distributors, Contractors and Consultants in a centralized electronic
database;
Electronic Catalogue of
common-use goods, supplies, materials, and equipment;
Virtual Store, which is open
only to registered procuring entities and may not be accessed by suppliers;
Electronic Marketplace, an
online platform that allows procuring entities to search, view, compare,
select, and procure common-use and non-common-use supplies and equipment from
legally, technically, and financially capable suppliers. For non-common use
goods, the electronic marketplace allows suppliers to present their goods and
inventory on a consignment basis, from which procuring entities may
choose either the lowest complying bid or the most economically advantageous
bid based on their needs and requirements;
Electronic Reverse Auction, an
online auction where a procuring entity invites suppliers to submit bids for
specific goods and services on a specific date and time duration, based on
defined specifications for design, quantity, quality, delivery, and related
terms and conditions, and compete by outbidding each other through lower offers
or amounts they are willing to accept. At the close of the reverse auction
duration, to be defined by the procuring entity, the procurement contract shall
be awarded to the last complying bid;
Electronic Small Value Procurement,
a facility that allows procuring entities to resort to shopping or small value
procurement under Article VIII of the Act;
Electronic or Digital Payment,
an inclusive digital payment system including stored money credits in an
electronic wallet and direct electronic payment, and the use of credit cards
for government purchases of CSEs or payments of the bidder for bidding
documents, and bid securities;
Electronic Bidding, a facility
that allows the submission of an annual procurement plan, the conduct of
pre-bid conferences, submission, receipt, and opening of bids electronically.
It covers the entire procurement process from planning, posting of bid
opportunities and bidding documents, pre-bid conferences, receipt and opening
of bids, evaluation of bids, post qualification, recommendation and award of
contract, contract management, and implementation, including contract
terminations, and payment which shall apply to goods, infrastructure, and
consulting services.
All government procuring entities are required to register with PhilGEPS for
the purchase of common-use supplies and equipment (CSEs) and utilize its
additional innovative features and solutions in accordance with the rules and
procedures issued by the Government Procurement Policy Board (GPPB), as well as
mandatory access to an online network to facilitate the open, speedy, and
efficient online transmission, conveyance, and use of electronic data messages
or electronic documents.
Procuring entities with established electronic procurement systems shall
provide for a seamless interface of systems with the PhilGEPS to ensure
efficient sharing of procurement information. (DBM/PIA-Caraga)
