The Central Procurement Board of Namibia (CPBN) has expressed concern over the growing number of bid disqualifications and legal disputes that continue to hinder service delivery.
CPBN Board Chairperson Mary Shiimi revealed that more than half of bidders in procurement processes are disqualified due to preventable errors.
“I am concerned when more than 50% of participating bidders in a bidding process are disqualified for reasons that could easily have been prevented,” Shiimi said.
She attributed the high disqualification rate to technical errors and non-compliance, which prevent many bids from reaching the financial evaluation stage.
“We should be concerned with the investments we make and the value we get,” she added.
Shiimi also highlighted the negative impact of prolonged court proceedings on public service delivery.
“I am concerned when bids are stuck in courts and services do not reach the public that so much needs it,” she said.
The concerns were raised during the launch of CPBN’s Public and Bidders’ Education Campaign, themed ‘Enhancing Responsiveness in the Bidding Process.’
The initiative aims to promote transparency, reduce bid disqualifications, and address dissatisfaction among bidders and clients regarding procurement outcomes.
“There has been a significant level of unhappiness from bidders and our clients emanating from increasing unfavorable outcomes from the procurement process,” Shiimi said.
She emphasized that the campaign seeks to clarify procurement requirements to help bidders avoid unnecessary disqualifications.
“Our intent is to see more responsive bids in all stages of the evaluation process. For this is one method of achieving value for money,” she said.
CPBN Manager of Monitoring & Evaluation Toini Hamata reaffirmed the board’s commitment to the principles of public procurement, including integrity, accountability, transparency, competitive supply, efficiency, fair dealing, and responsiveness.
“To our bidders and SMEs, this campaign is for you. As the chairperson highlighted, its success hinges on your active participation. We are committed to simplifying the bidding process, ensuring you can compete confidently and effectively,” Hamata said.
