Public procurement procedures must conform to exemplary norms of best practices to ensure efficiency, economy and accountability in the system.To achieve this objective, the following key areas should be taken care of:
(i) To reduce delays, each Ministry / Department should prescribe appropriate time frame for each stage of procurement; delineate the responsibility of different officials and agencies involved in the purchase process and delegate, wherever necessary, appropriate purchase powers to the lower functionaries with due approval of the competent authority.
(ii) Each Ministry / Department should ensure conclusion of contract within the original validity of the tenders. Extension of tender validity must be discouraged and resorted to only in absolutely unavoidable, exceptional circumstances with the approval of the competent authority after duly recording the reasons for such extension.
(iii) The Central Purchase Organizations should bring into the rate contract system more and more common user items, which are frequently needed in bulk by various Ministries / Departments. The Central Purchase Organizations should also ensure that the rate contracts remain available without any break.
Source: MANUAL ON POLICIES AND PROCEDURES FOR PURCHASE OF GOODS
(i) To reduce delays, each Ministry / Department should prescribe appropriate time frame for each stage of procurement; delineate the responsibility of different officials and agencies involved in the purchase process and delegate, wherever necessary, appropriate purchase powers to the lower functionaries with due approval of the competent authority.
(ii) Each Ministry / Department should ensure conclusion of contract within the original validity of the tenders. Extension of tender validity must be discouraged and resorted to only in absolutely unavoidable, exceptional circumstances with the approval of the competent authority after duly recording the reasons for such extension.
(iii) The Central Purchase Organizations should bring into the rate contract system more and more common user items, which are frequently needed in bulk by various Ministries / Departments. The Central Purchase Organizations should also ensure that the rate contracts remain available without any break.
Source: MANUAL ON POLICIES AND PROCEDURES FOR PURCHASE OF GOODS
