By Mama A. Touray
The Director General of the Gambia Public Procurement Authority (GPPA), Foday Muhammed Jaiteh, on Monday, appeared before the ongoing Local Government Commission of Inquiry, established to look into the holistic and fair review of the financial and administrative operation of councils across the country.
In his testimony before the Commission of Inquiry on Monday, 10th July 2023, his statement was shown to him and he confirmed it then tendered by Counsel Patrick Gomez, while it was admitted in evidence by Chairperson Jainaba Bah.
Mr. Jaiteh testified that on the mandate of the GPPA, which he said is to regulate procurement in the country and monitor public institutions and regulate local government authorities.
Director Jaiteh told the commission that the mandate of GPPA is executed by the law requiring all procuring organizations to submit procurement to the authorities for approval at each stage of the procurement process. And also said it is the mandate of the authority to conduct a compliance review of their activities at the end of the year.
“The importance of procurement guidelines and rules is to ensure that government institutions procure goods, services, and works in such a way that is timely and delivers value for money and to ensure that they get all the factors of production. It is also to ensure that corruption is minimized and for procurement to go the right way” he told the Commission.
He went on in his testimony that on the main methods of procurement in The Gambia “Open tender is a procurement method that is preferred compared to any other method laid down in the public procurement law. It is a method that invites all potential suppliers of goods, services, and works by publication so that any potential economic operator has the equal opportunity to participate in a public tender”.
He said restricted tender is a method that is restricted to five potential bidders, “that tender process you have the right as provided for in the law to invite five potential bidders either by direct invitation or by prequalification. The reason for restricted tender is the number of suppliers or economic operators is limited in nature. The single source, request for quotation, request for proposals, and framework agreement”.
Procurement Implementation Structures as per The Gambia’s System he said include: a contracts committee and specialized procurement unit, and that these two types are mandatory structures.
He further testified that the evaluation committee is also part of the implementation structures and is recommended as the best practice, receipt and examination committee, and the disposal committee, only when the need arises.
