PRAZ moves to regularise procurement profession

Source: PRAZ moves to regularise procurement profession – NewsDay Zimbabwe October 4, 2019

BY VENERANDA LANGA

THE Procurement Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (Praz) has given a 30-day notice to stakeholders involved in procurement processes to contribute to the proposed professionalisation regulations of persons involved in procurement processes as well as compliance, monitoring and evaluation regulations.

This follows publication on September 27, in an extraordinary gazette a notice that the Vice-President responsible for procurement, Constantino Chiwenga, intends to enact regulations that shall promote the training and professional development of persons engaged in public procurement so that they adhere to high ethical standards.

In a statement, Praz chief executive officer Nyasha Chizu said the authority will give 30 days to interested stakeholders to give their input on the regulations to do with procurement.
The stakeholders involved in procurement include parastatals, government ministries, civic society and other interested groups in the anti-corruption fight.

The new Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets Act promotes fair procurement practices, transparency and assists in the fight against corruption in public procurement.

Section 6 (1) of the Public Procurement and Disposal Act stipulates that Praz shall “promote the training and professional development of persons engaged in public procurement so as to ensure adherence to high ethical standards”.

“The proposed procurement professionalisation regulations are meant to introduce a Procurement Professional Committee of Zimbabwe responsible for membership advocacy and continuous professional development of procurement officers, and categorise the types of membership to the committee on conditions thereof,” the statement read.

“The regulations are aimed at providing for licence to practice committees specifying the power, functions and conditions of appointment and providing disciplinary procedures and general conditions that include the right to publication of membership register, offences, exemptions and recovery of costs penalties.”

Praz also welcomed comments from procurement stakeholders on proposed compliance, monitoring and evaluation regulations.

“The draft compliance, monitoring and evaluation regulations are aimed at providing mandatory reports to be produced by procuring entities, their frequency and penalties for non-compliance; reviews to ensure compliance with the Act that shall be done by the Authority, their frequency and penalties for non-compliance,” Chizu said.

“They will provide for the review process by the special procurement oversight committee and penalties that they may direct the authority to impose; investigation procedures by the authority, and general provision on the requirements for compliance certificates for procuring monitoring units, violations by employees, procuring entities, suppliers and contractors.”