Jamaica announces new public procurement policy

(Jamaica Observer) The Government this week tabled a bill to streamline and transform the present public procurement regime, including its legal and regulatory framework.

In a statement to the House of Representatives prior to tabling the bill, minister without portfolio in the Ministry of Finance and Planning, Horace Dalley, referred to it as “Jamaica’s first stand alone public procurement law”.

He said that the bill seeks to delete from the Contractor General’s Act all provisions related to the National Contracts Commission (NCC), which is to be replaced by the new Public Procurement Commission.

The new Public Procurement Commission will play an expanded role, aimed at promoting efficiency in public procurement proceedings, and the implementation of procurement contracts, as well as promoting transparency and equity in the award of contracts.

Dalley said that the commission will also be responsible for the registration and classification of contractors, and will be authorised to hear their appeals from the decisions of procuring entities.

He said that sector committees will be established by the commission to assist in the revision of procurement contract award recommendations and will evolve into specialist committees, technically competent to review related subjects, including insurance, civil engineering and works, goods and general services, information and communication technology and consulting services.