Procurement Policy Statement
Public procurement, as the Government of Jamaica’s single largest area of commercial undertaking with economic significance, falls under the purview of the Minister of Finance who has direct responsibility for public expenditure and public financial management under the Financial Administration and Audit Act (FAA). Acting under the powers granted by the Public Procurement Act, 2015 and its attendant Regulations, the Minister of Finance’s fiscal and economic policy imperatives are pursued in part through the work of a robust procurement policy.
Public Procurement requires an interdisciplinary approach in which professionals interact with dynamic markets, changing technologies and procurement methods. Moreover, the function is regulated by laws that reflect the need to ensure compliance with international obligations in trade, labour, the environment and corruption mitigation. Additionally, the opening of government procurement markets necessitates a general convergence of norms, adding to the complexity, risk and importance of Jamaica’s procurement system.
Public procurement is also used to achieve several goals, namely, minimizing long-term employment, improving working conditions throughout the (international) supply chain, stimulating innovation, providing opportunities for Small and Medium-sized enterprises (SME’s) or local businesses, and stimulating the market for sustainable goods and services.
This development means that public procurement is no longer just a means to an end, but also a policy tool that is used to achieve desired outcomes in society. The bedrock of the GOJ’s Public Procurement system itself is enshrined on the following principles:
The procurement process should be clear and open to scrutiny.
Suppliers participate in an environment that does not deter opportunity to
participate or impose undue hardship upon them in public procurement proceedings.
The procedures accord the same treatment of all suppliers
in similar positions and different treatment of suppliers in different positions unless there
is objectively justifiable reason to derogate.
The procurement system is designed with balance in mind; the
procedures are appropriate to achieve the objects and do not go beyond what is necessary
to achieve the objects, taking into account the context.
Jamaica’s country procurement system has the following objectives:
Economic Development
Promoting economic development through public procurement expresses that in view of its high demand for goods, services and works, government procurement profoundly affects the economy.
Economy and Efficiency
Economy and efficiency in public procurement means that procurement processes should be carried out without waste of resources.
Value for Money
Value for money is a measure of the overall economic benefit to society from the government’s efficient allocation of resources.
Integrity
Promoting integrity and engendering public confidence in procurement means that government contracts are to be awarded on merit to the most capable and upstanding suppliers.
Transparency
Fostering transparency in the public procurement process means that government procurement information should be widely published, clearly written and easily understood by all stakeholders.
Participation
Encouraging participation in public procurement is mostly about implementing procedures in a manner that invites the interest of capable suppliers to fulfill government needs.
Competition
Promoting competition among suppliers for the supply of goods, works and services is all about including as many possible capable suppliers in the government’s supply chain.
Fair and Equitable Treatment
Providing for the fair and equitable treatment of all persons participating in public procurement should be treated without discrimination, and should be afforded due process.
MSME Participation
Encouraging national growth by enabling the participation of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises in public procurement is a procurement-linked policy that seeks to prioritise MSME development in Jamaica.
A sound procurement system is one that combines all the above elements. The desired impact is to inspire the confidence and willingness-to-compete of well-qualified vendors. This directly and concretely benefits GOJ and its constituents, responsive contractors and suppliers.