Under the new amendments, single-source procurement will be permitted for projects that enhance basic needs and living standards. The government offices can submit specific security related projects to the Ministry of Finance for approval under this regulation
The government has amended the Public Finance Regulations to allow the procurement of goods and services without a bidding process or through single-source procurement.
Under the new amendments, single-source procurement will be permitted for projects that enhance basic needs and living standards. Additionally, government offices can submit specific security related projects to the Ministry of Finance for approval under this regulation.
The amendments stipulate that such projects must be designated as essential by the Cabinet or a Cabinet committee.
The changes allow exemptions from bid security and performance guarantees for Public Sector Investment Programme projects at the discretion of the Finance Minister. Ministries overseeing exempted projects must submit progress reports as directed by the Finance Ministry.
This amendment reverses the previous government's regulations, which required proposals to be submitted through a bidding process.
The prior regulations, enacted in January 2019, were initially intended to ensure transparency in foreign-aided and concessional loan projects.
However, in November 2018, the government at the time suspended the allocation of islands, lagoons, and land without bidding.
The Tourism Act had previously been amended in 2016 to allow island development without bidding, a move that faced criticism from opposition political parties.
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