Pagpasa sa New Gov’t Procurement Act nakasalalay na sa lagda ni PBBM

MANILA, Philippines- Pirma na lang ni Pangulong Ferdinand Marcos Jr., ang hinihintay ng panukalang New Government Procurement Act (NGPA), isang pangunahing batas ng administrasyon, para maikasa na ito.

Ito’y matapos na kapwa ratipikahan ng dalawang Kapulungan ng Kongreso ang bicameral conference committee report sa nasabing panukalang batas sa huling araw ng sesyon bago pa ang “sine die adjournment” o konklusyon ng sesyon.

Papalitan ng panukalang batas ang 21-taong Republic Act 9184 o ang Government Procurement Act, na nagbibigay ng rules and regulations para sa lahat ng transaksyon saklaw ang public funds.

Sa ilalim ng batas, ang lahat ng government procurement ay kailangan na may kasamang maayos na “market scoping, supply positioning, analysis ng available procurement modalities, at risk management.”

Ipinakilala rin ng batas ang mga bagong “modes of procurement” para makapagbigay ng mas malawig na “flexibility” sa procuring entities base sa kanilang requirements. kabilang ang:

• Competitive dialogue

• Unsolicited offer may kasama ng bid matching

• Direct acquisition

• Direct sale

• Direct procurement para sa science, technology at innovation

Ang isa pang mahalagang probisyon ay ang Most Economically Advantageous Responsive Bid (MEARB), na “incorporates a predetermined quality of goods to be procured as part of the criteria for selecting the winning bid.”

Pinaikli rin nito ang ‘period of action’ sa pagkuha mula 90 araw hanggang 60 araw, saklaw ang pagbubukas ng bids sa paggagawad ng kontrata.

“The bill also provided the following provisions that seek more transparency in the procurement process:

• Video recording of procurement-related conferences

• Equal access to information at all levels of procurement for the procuring entities

• Full disclosure, under oath, of any and all relationships between the bidders and all the personalities involved in the bidding process

• Qualified observers will be present in all stages of procurement,” ayon sa ulat.

Inatasan naman ang Department of Budget and Management sa ilalim ng batas na lumikha ng ‘procurement positions’ sa gobyerno.

“The measure also provides preference to Philippine products and services, as under the bill, the procuring entity will award the contract to the domestic bidder if its bid is not more than 25 percent in excess of the lowest foreign bid,” ayon sa ulat.

“Further, the proposed law urges procuring entities to encourage the active participation of vulnerable and marginalized sectors, as well as microenterprises, social enterprises, and startups,” dagdag pa rito.

Samantala, sinabi ni Senator Sonny Angara, pangunahing may-akda ng batas sa Senado, layon ng NGPA na bawasan ang oportunidad ng korapsyon.

“This measure will also help boost investor confidence in the Philippines because, as we all know, they are constantly looking at the processes undertaken, particularly by the government, when they make decisions to invest in a particular jurisdiction. Consistency, transparency, and accountability are key elements in attracting investments,” dagdag na wika ni Angara. Kris Jose