By HELEN ZULU –
THE Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) has said cut-throat competition among suppliers and contractors helps the Government obtain the best value for the public funds.
CCPC investigator – cartels and restrictive business practices Joseph Kaumba said procurement through competitive bidding remained the best way of getting best value for money.
“Vigorous competition among suppliers helps governments to obtain the best value for money for the goods and services they procure.
“Cooperative relationships between the competition authority and procurement agencies are key to fighting bid rigging in public procurement,” Mr Kaumba said.
He said it was, therefore, imperative to enhance relationships between the competition authority and procurement agencies in fighting bid rigging in public procurement.
Mr Kaumba said procurement through competition under normal circumstances assists in demonstrating transparency and integrity in public procurement.
He said competition was seen as the best way to get value for money while transparency fostered the confidence of the taxpayer in the public procurement institutions.
He said procurement entities needed to formulate strategies to detect anti-competitive practices and monitor bidding for unusual schemes at every stage of the bidding process.
Mr Kaumba said it was necessary that procurement agencies should have systems and measures in place that effectively identify anti-competitive conduct and mitigate the risk of bid rigging.
“Conversely when competition is curtailed by such measures as when suppliers engage in anti-competitive practices, taxpayers’ money is wasted as governments pay more than a fair price.
“It is necessary that procurement agencies must have systems and measures in place that effectively identify anti-competitive conduct and mitigate the risk of bid rigging,” he said.