Good points raised for the reform of public procurement

80% of the 2014 markets have been fully realized with a record that bids better prospects for 2015.

Satisfaction is the general feeling that emerged from the evaluation which began in June 2015 by the Department of Public procurement (Minmap) of the level of execution of contracts awarded during the year 2014, and the implementation of procurement plans for the current year.

The figures recently presented by the head of the ministry, Abba Sadou, confirmed the improvement of the system. Indeed, from the perspective of the execution of contracts awarded during the year 2014 in the ten regions, it showed that nearly 80% of contracts signed last year were received, that is, they were fully completed while the overall physical implementation rate of all markets in the field was 86%.

This is an average rate which takes into account approved markets at 100% and markets that are experiencing delays in their completion for various reasons, claims Minmap. "The big trend that emerges is that 80% of contracts are entirely executed by a record that has never been achieved in the past." As for the remaining 20% "many of which are still running," the Minister reassured that measures were taken so that they are completed as soon as possible.

On a negative note, the dropout rate for contracts awarded in 2014 on the entire territory was 1.6% and concerns more than fifty markets. This rate, which was higher in the past "decreased significantly," observes Abba Sadou.

Furthermore, note that these good results mask regional disparities. If in the North West, the Far North and Adamawa, the implementation rate of the markets are "very satisfactory", the fact is not the same elsewhere.

Notably, the Littoral region has the lowest rate of physical performance of contracts with only 56% of the markets in 2014 year received than, in the South-West regions, East and North, which have rates below the national average.

Closer to home, halfway through the financial year 2015, the situation is changing at a pace equally noteworthy. "Although all markets have not been signed by the due date, it must be noted that the performance compared to the previous year in the same period have improved significantly," said Abba Sadou.

Of the 1982 tender dossiers (DAO) received by the decentralized services of Minmap during the reference period, he said, 1,896 have already been published, a publication rate of 86% (this rate was below 60% in the same period of 2014), the remaining 86 in CAD validation within the procurement commissions.

No doubt that the vast sector reform, implemented since 2012, will experience another high point with the passage announced in public procurement online in 2016. Several gains are expected from the dematerialization of procedures.

First, the acceleration of the rate of consumption of the public investment budget, by shortening, reduced to less than half the current average of award of a contract and subsequently the lengthening of the time of execution of contracts signed.

The strengthening governance and preventing corruption not to mention saving paper and ink for the production of documents acquired all of which will add to more than FCFA 300 billion of budget savings only for the years 2013 to 2014 due to the enhanced independence of procurement committees.