Africa-Press – Cape verde. The Budget Support Group (GAO) today expressed “some concern” about the “recurrent use of contracting via direct award on a basis of urgent urgency”, considering that such practice “may compromise the quality/price relationship of public acquisitions ”.
The concern is contained in the group’s press release cited by Inforpress, read during the press conference to review the last week-long mission that began on the 2nd and ended today to analyze the fiscal and financial macroeconomic situation, the measures implemented and planned to mitigate the fiscal impact of the war in Ukraine, among other aspects.
At the level of public procurement, the GAO welcomed the progress in preparing the assessment of the methodology for evaluating systems, by the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (ARAP), and with the electronic public procurement process, and encouraged the Government to update legislation for the inclusion of municipalities in the scope of electronic contracting.
On the other hand, he expressed “ some concern ” about the recurrent use of contracting via direct award.
“ GAO partners note with some concern the recurrent use of contracting via direct award on a basis of urgent urgency, which could compromise the quality/price ratio of Public acquisitions”, says the statement cited by Inforpress .
Asked to react, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Olavo Correia, stated that the matter has nothing to do with the legal framework, but admitted the need to improve the legal framework so that it can be better implemented.
“ Therefore, what is at stake here is in small contracts, which are obviously the largest volume, the right adjustment is used, as happens anywhere in the world. The question that arises here is how we can find the conditions, at a legal level, to, based on the experience we have had so far, reduce the spectrum, the perimeter in relation to the use of the right adjustment”, he said .
Olavo Correia emphasizes that this is not illegal, especially because the amounts are in the law itself.
According to the source mentioned, the deputy prime minister indicated that the executive will take advantage of the implementation of public and electronic procurement, to adjust the legal framework for the entire public sector of the Government, but also that municipal services can be integrated within public procurement. and electronics and guaranteed control over the entire process regarding public purchases by the State at both central and municipal levels.
“So it’s nothing new for the government. The GAO, of course, made this note, that this is on the Government’s agenda ,” he said.
According to the Budget Support Gripo, another concern expressed by the GAO has to do with the increase in the failure to present accounts on time by institutions and autonomous entities.
The Group is made up of Spain, Luxembourg, Portugal, the European Union, the World Bank Group and the African Development Bank (AfDB), and this year it is chaired by Portugal and provides financial support and technical assistance to the State budget through grants. and loans in support of national development priorities.
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