Government is seeking an ICT specialist to assist in the development of e-Government Procurement (e-GP) systems, as it intensifies its procurement reform programme.
BY NDAMU SANDU
In a recent notice, the Office of the President and Cabinet (OPC) said the ICT specialist on the project was earmarked to assume the position of the head of the ICT division of the Procurement Regulatory Authority (formerly State Procurement Board) once the project is completed.
“The government of Zimbabwe received a grant from the Zimbabwe Reconstruction Fund (Zimref) that is coordinated by the World Bank under the Zimbabwe Public Procurement Modernisation Project and wishes to use part of the proceeds to finance the engagement of the ICT specialist to assist in the development of e-Government Procurement (e-GP) System,” the OPC said.
It said the project was aimed at enhancing institutional and legislative reforms of public procurement and improve government capacity for e-GP adoption in order to enhance efficiency and transparency in public procurement. The ICT specialist, the OPC said, will support its office to co-ordinate the project on e-GP with the assistance of an e-GP consulting firm which has already been engaged.
Some of the duties of the e-GP specialist include supervising and monitoring the day-to day technical activities of the e-GP project, prioritise activities related to e-GP and ensure overall readiness of the new procuring entity users before a procurement entity is designated to go live in the e-GP platform.
Applications for the post have to be submitted by 4pm on January 31.
The procurement reforms are financed by Zimref, a WB-administered multi-donor trust established to strengthen Zimbabwe’s systems for reconstruction and development with a focus on stabilisation and reform, development and poverty alleviation.
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The Procurement Modernisation Project has a budget of $4 million. It is a hybrid project meaning that it is executed by the recipient, in the case government and is also bank-executed, that is, by the World Bank.
Zimbabwe is working on reforms to revamp procurement in government departments, ministries, parastatals and local authorities meant to ensure efficiency and quality service delivery.
In October, the government gazetted the Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets Bill, which will transform the former State Procurement Board into an authority responsible for setting standards and guidelines, as well as performing a monitoring and evaluation role over procurement.
An executive review before the awarding of the tender would be done by a team involving the Accountant-General, Auditor-General, Attorney-General and a representative from Public Works.
In November, a mission from Zimref was in the country to provide the implementation support following the newly gazetted Procurement Bill, discuss progress on the development of the e-procurement strategy and reviews overall progress of the project.
The OPC has been meeting critical stakeholders apprising on the procurement reforms. It has held workshops with journalists, legislators and officials from the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission and the Prosecutor-General.
