PPADB awards P6.4 billion in tenders

P7.3 billion tenders were awarded in 2019/20

Contractor registration stood at over P15 million

COVID-19 halted implementation of key projects

BAKANG TIRO

editors@thepatriot.co.bw

The Public Procurement and Asset Disposal Board (PPADB) awarded tenders worth P6.4 billion in the 2020/21 financial year, compared to P7.3 billion worth of tenders awarded in 2019/2020 fiscal year.

PPADB Acting Executive Chairperson Kgakgamalo Ketshajwang said the value of procurement for PPADB and its committees for the 2020/21 financial year excluded micro procurement by ministries.

Ketshajwang on the adjudication of tenders for central government said the board has adjudicated on five hundred and ninety-nine (599) submissions, a figure that represents a 17% fall against 726 submissions handled the previous year.

“During the period under review, the Special Procurement and Asset Disposal Committee (SPADC) adjudicated on a total of sixty-five (65) requests amounting to P86 million compared to a total of one hundred (100) requests during the 2019/20 financial year, amounting to P350.4 million. This represents thirty-five (35%) decrease in the number of submissions received by the committee in the period under review,” he added, commenting on adjudication of central government tenders.

Furthermore, the District Administration Tender Committees (DATCs) has adjudicated on a total number five hundred and sixty (560) submissions amounting to P2.5 billion, as  opposed to the pervious financial year’s five hundred and sixty-eight (568) submission totaling P218.6 million.

Meanwhile, during the financial year under review, the Board approved thirty thousand eight hundred and thirty- eight (30 838) contractor registration applications compared to 19 065 in the previous year.

Out of the total number of applications approved by the Board, seven thousand one hundred and eighty-three (7 183) were for services, ten thousand nine hundred and seventy-five (10 975) were for supplies and twelve thousand six hundred and eighty (12 680) were for works.

According to Ketshajwang, this represents an overall cumulative twenty-three percent (23%), thirty-six percent (36%) supplies and 41% for the works.

Revenue generated through contractor registration increased by eleven percent (11%) from a P14 287 416 in the previous year to P15 838 860 during the current 2020/21 financial year period.

In terms of challenges, Ketshajwang highlighted that the main challenge experienced during the year under review was the COVID-19 pandemic. He said the pandemic halted the implementation of some projects and initiatives and thus negatively affecting the corporate performance as well as the delivery of services across the board.

“Areas mostly affected included capacity building, outreach and compliance monitoring. In order to adapt, the Board quickly turned to virtual meetings for its weekly decisions, and almost all meeting across the organization became virtual,” said Senai commenting on Coronavirus.

During the year, the Board awarded only one tender from Ministry of Land Management, Water and Sanitation Services amounting to P843 858 400 compared to P1 726 692 690.76 of awarded tenders in the previous year financial year, a significant decrease of P1 725 848 832.36 or 99.96%.

“The awarded project emanated from the appeal that was lodged with the Board on an MTC award decision. In its adjudication, the board made an outright award of the project to a different company. As noticed, this tender falls away below the threshold of the Board,” said the PPADB.

Apart from the award, the board said it did not receive any request to award from any ministry throughout the financial year 2020/21.