The Director General, Bureau of Public Procurement (DG, BPP), Dr Adebowale Adedokun, MCIPS, is set to have an interactive session with all relevant Professional bodies in Nigeria including the Civil Society of Nigeria, Practicing and retired Procurement Officers in Nigeria amongst many others as part of his strategies to reform the activities of the Bureau of Public Procurement. These meetings are aimed at collaborating, partnering and also mentoring the current procurement Officers for a sustainable Procurement sector in Nigeria.
According to Adedokun, this meetings are aimed at identifying gaps in order to provide Nigerians with real-time performance metrics that are sustainable over the long term. This initiative is also intended to ensure the practical delivery of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Eight-Point Renewed Hope Agenda, which focuses on infrastructural development, youth inclusivity, security, agriculture, and economic development, among other priorities. To achieve this, BPP has earmarked the 2nd week of January 2025 to commence the stakeholder sessions.
Adedokun also advised that all implementing MDAs should ensure that their Procurement Planning Committees are put in place in good time for year 2025 Procurement Plan and that all MDAs must follow the criteria for Issuance of Certificate of No Objection listed as follows:
• Letter of request/transmission of documents signed by the Honourable Minister or Permanent Secretary (The Accounting Officer);
• Evidence of Advertisement/Invitation for Pre-Qualification/Approval for Exemption/BPP No Objection to adopt Restricted Tender or Direct Procurement;
• Pre-Qualification Documents submitted by Contractors;
• Pre-qualification Evaluation Report;
• Letters of Invitation to Bid (Contractor’s acknowledgement copies only);
• Projects Design & Drawings/Full Specification for Goods;
• Bills of Quantity (BOQ) /Bill of Engineering Measurement and Evaluation (BEME);
• Financial Bids of Pre-qualified Contractors showing evidence of Counter-signing of Bills by competing firms;
• Bid Return Sheet (duly signed by all Pre-qualified bidders in attendance & Representatives of the MDA/Observer//Professional Organisation/NGO;
• Copies of protest letters by bidders and response /action taken, if any;
• Progress report of ongoing Project requiring Augmentation/Latest interim Statement/Comparative Bill of original Revised Works;
• Bid Evaluation Report: Hard/Soft copy;
• Consultants or in House Projects Estimate: Hard/Soft copy;
• Appropriation/Source of Fund (Copy of highlighted Budget page).
The DG also pointed out that these guidelines are necessary for transparency and accountability, for the procurement sector maximum efficiency.
*Janet McDickson*
Director, Information & Public Relations/ Head Media Unit, BPP.
