Procurement Method 3

A Procuring Entity (PE) sought guidance as follows:

I. Whether an entity may engage a personal shopper or concierge service to source goods on its behalf when those goods can be obtained at a lower cost than in the local market.
II. This enquiry arises from the fact that the entity is currently operating under significant budgetary constraints. As such, we are exploring options that may provide better value for money while ensuring compliance with the Government’s procurement framework.
III. Specifically, the PE is considering whether it would be permissible to retain a service provider to purchase and facilitate the delivery of goods on behalf of the entity when the local market prices are significantly higher than those available internationally. We note, however, that the use of the entity’s credit card would not be feasible for this purpose, which has led us to consider the use of a concierge or personal shopping service.
IV. Kindly advise on the applicable rules, restrictions, or approvals that would govern such an arrangement. Alternatively, would the appropriate approach be to undertake the standard procurement process and solicit international quotations or conduct an international competitive procurement exercise, even where the estimated value may fall below the threshold that would ordinarily warrant such a method?