Public procurement the foundation of strategic governance
Public procurement is a crucial pillar of services delivery for governments. Because of the sheer volume of spending it represents, well governed public procurement can and must play a major role in fostering public sector efficiency and establishing citizens’ trust.
Public procurement can be easily defined as the process of sourcing and acquiring of goods and services by government ministries, departments and agencies(MDAs) needed to fulfil their mandates. These MDAs are referred to as procuring and disposing entities (PDEs) these processes may be by purchase, rental, lease or any kind of work or services and maybe a combination of any of the mentioned. Well-designed public procurement systems also contribute to achieving pressing policy goals such as environmental protection, innovation, job creation and the development of small and medium enterprises.
In Uganda the PPDA Is the regulatory body that designs systems and makes laws to ensure smooth public procurement process in line with the PPDA act and other relevant laws. Practitioners in the process must not only have a clear understanding of the principles of public procurement but also interiorize them so that they serve as guiding principles in our decision-making process. By integrating these principles into our work ethics, the outcome of our decisions will always be in line the mentioned regulatory body. The principles include:
1. Transparency
2. Integrity
3. Economy
4. Openness
5. Fairness
6. Competition
7. Accountability