By Olimatou Coker
In a bid to enhance transparency, efficiency and accountability in the country’s public procurement system, the national procurement authority (GPPA) recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with The Gambia Agency for the Management of Public Works (GAMWORKS).
The GPPA is the government agency responsible for regulating and monitoring public procurement in The Gambia.
GAMWORKS is a company limited by guarantee with no share capital (not-for-profit company) entrusted with implementing projects and contracts on behalf of the Government of The Gambia based on a joint Framework Agreement (including state-owned enterprises, government agencies and public bodies) and development partners, and has considerable experience and expertise in project management and the procurement of works, goods and services.
The two parties share similar objectives of promoting transparent and efficient procurement in The Gambia:
Under the MoU, the two parties have agreed that GPPA grants GAMWORKS approval to carry out Delegated Management Contracts, DMC/public procurement without prior approval of GPPA at every stage of the procurement process and shall follow all procurement procedures provided by the Act and Regulation.
All procuring organisations shall seek prior approval from GPPA before engaging with GAMWORKS for Delegated Management Contracts (DMC), and all economic operators involved with GAMWORKS shall register with GPPA and also all procurements conducted by GAMWORKS by a way of DMC for procuring organisations, shall be subjected to post review by GPPA.
