Suppliers' perception on transparency of Free State public procurement
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Date
2022
Authors
Marumo, Molelekwa
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of the Free State
Abstract
This study evaluates the perception of suppliers on the transparency of the public procurement in the Free State Province paying attention on the pre-tender stage activities. The study further reviews the public procurement legal framework and processes to contextualise relationships between transparency and participation, competition and accountability. Public procurement has been critiqued for its highest levels of non-compliance to ethical standards, a lack of standardisation as well as lack of transparency of processes. The allegations of unethical relationships between suppliers and government officials led to the establishment of the Commission of Inquiry into Allegations of State Capture. The Zondo Commission was tasked with, among others, investigating how public procurement systems were flouted to benefit powerful individuals. To collect data in respect of this study, a structured interviews were administered to a total of 17 active participants in the supplier database, from planned 25 participants who are conducting their business within the boundaries of the Free State. Again, literature in the form of government reports, public procurement legislation and articles was reviewed to contextualise public procurement processes and concepts. An analysis of 14 of the 17 participants shows that there is no standardised method of communicating pre-tender information to suppliers. Furthermore, suppliers are not familiar with different sets of documents constituting pre-tender information, such as strategic plans, annual performance plans and procurement plans. For example, only three participants suggest having interacted with pre-tender information before tenders were officially advertised. Measures and platforms used by government to communicate invitations to tender are perceived to be cost effective to an extent that they are adequately utilised by all government departments. In conclusion, majority of participants perceive the transparency of public procurement in the Free State to be inconsistent in different stages of tendering. Additionally, the current procurement framework and procedure appear to be preoccupied with the dissemination of procurement information at the tender invitation stage than at the pre-tender stage of procurement. Furthermore, the current measures of communicating procurement information do not support pre-tender information dissemination, automated tendering, evaluation and execution to support the principles of transparency.
Description
Dissertation (MBA (Business Administration))--University of the Free State, 2022
Keywords
Transparency, information asymmetry, competition, participation, accountability, e-tender, procurement plan, public procurement, pre-tender stage