Procurement 101
What is public procurement?
means the acquisition of goods, works or services by any means, including, where applicable, purchase, rental, lease or hire-purchase, and the acquisition of works, and consulting or other services.
When is the Annual Procurement Plan due?
April 30 each year
What are the three types of Specification?
Functional, Performance and Technical?
What was the name of the Policy Unit prior to April 1, 2019?
PAPU - Procurement and Asset Policy Unit
Name three divisions within the Ministry of Finance and Public Service?
Name 4 objectives of the Public procurement?
Economy and Efficiency, Economic Development, Value for Money, Fair Competition, MSME Participation, Transparency, Efficiency, Integrity, Fair and equitable treatment
Name three elements of the Annual Procurement Plan.
Description of the items to be procured
Unit of measure / Quantities required
Estimated budget GOJ/Other
Prequalification Y / N
Method (s) of procurement (ITB-ICB-NCB….)
Estimated dates (in quarters) Publication
Award
What does Aggregate mean ?
Grouping or bundling product requirements together to potentially gain economies of scale
What is the name of the current Chief Public Procurement Policy Officer?
Mr. Jovell Barrett
In which 2 years were the Public Procurement Act Amended?
2018 and 2025
What are the three approval tiers in GOJ public procurement system?
Tier 1, Head of Entity
Tier 2, PPC
Tier 3, Cabinet
What is the function of the Specialized Procurement Unit?
plan the public procurement activities of the procuring entity, taking into account the procurement needs and the budget of the entity in respect of each financial year
Which section of the Act prohibits modification of criteria post-opening?
Section 35(1) – Evaluation in accordance with solicitation documents. This section requires procuring entities to evaluate bids strictly in accordance with the criteria and procedures specified in the solicitation documents. Once bids are opened, the procuring entity is bound by the published criteria and methodology.
What was the name of the most recently published guidance note issued by the OPPP?
Guidance Note 2/2025 - Procurement in Situations of Emergency or Extreme Urgency
What are the three levels of competition?
Restricted Competition, Open National Competition, and Open International Competition
What is the role of the head of entity in the Procurement Process?
Section 20 of the Public Procurement Act outlines that the head of every procuring entity shall have overall responsibility for the conduct of all processes connected with procurement for that entity
What is Market Research?
Market research should identify relevant suppliers and products that could meet the needs of the organization.
What are three (3) common pitfalls in evaluation criteria?
Ambiguity: Avoid terms like "Excellent Track Record." Use "Three (3) letters of reference."
Restrictive Specifications: Ensuring you aren't "tailoring" criteria for a specific vendor.
Vague or unclear criteria.
Unweighted or inconsistent scoring.
Criteria not aligned with procurement objectives.
Failure to document evaluation decisions.
Name two legislative mandates of the OPPP.
Section 7 of the PPA
Name two types of restricted competition?
Single-source, request for quotations, restricted bidding
A contract value of 150,000,000 should be approved/recommended by the following?
Head of entity, PPC and Cabinet
It is important to consider options other than buying, what are those option?
Make vs. Buy, Lease vs. Buy or Incorporate in other procurements vs. Buy
Why do evaluation criteria exist?
Evaluation criteria exist to provide a clear, fair, and consistent way to judge performance, quality, or outcomes. Without them, assessments would be subjective, uneven, and often unreliable.
Name two sub-portfolios within the OPPP?
Advisory and Engagement, Policy Development, Training, E-Procurement
What is the name of the Financial Secretary
Ms. Darlane Morrison