Finance Ministry has set the stage to activate Electronic Government Procurement (e-GP) system, with the aim of improving transparency and competitiveness while saving public funds when goods and services are purchased by the Government.
The selection of a Solution Provider to introduce the e-GP system to the Public Procurement System has now been completed to expedite the implementation process.
The Cabinet of Ministers approved the proposal presented . Minister of finance Mangala Samaraweera to select the institute 'Theekshana', information technology department of the University of Colombo as the solution provider to introduce this system and enter into agreement recently
E-GP makes public procurement more strategic and serves as an effective innovation to institute procurement reforms with greater performance in terms of efficiency, transparency, competition, fairness and value for money.
It also provides a wealth of information to decision makers, the private sector and citizens alike, on the performance of public procurement, noted Finance Minister Mangala Samaraweera speaking the launch ceremony recently. .
Sri Lanka ministries, departments, and other government institutions still use manual procurement processes, which are accused of several credibility and transparency issues.
The e-GP platform has been established by the Finance Ministry and will be completed by the end of the year.
It will save nearly Rs. 30 billion to the Treasury, while improving public financial management to a greater extent, Minister Samaraweera added.
However, the e-GP system that was launched on Wednesday has not been fully completed and it is not mandatory for Government institutions to use it.
In addition the system was launched before the National Procurement Commission’s guidelines, which have been ready since March 2018, have been approved by Parliament. The e-GP system is based on 2006 guidelines which the NPC was attempting to upgrade.
(LI)