The Permanent Secretary of Finance and Treasury, Mr Shadrach Fanega on Friday has confirmed that the implementation of the Constituency Development Funds (CDF) will be done in accordance with the requirements of the new Public Financial Management Act (PMFA) and its subsidiary financial instruments.

These instruments include the Interim Financial Instructions (IFIs) and the Procurement and Contract Administration Manual (PCAM).

Mr Fanega added that Government is looking at streamlining the procurement requirements and processes to ensure efficient and effective implementation of CDF projects.

Extensive consultations are being undertaken between the Ministry of Rural Development (MRD) and the Ministry of Finance and Treasury (MOFT) to help clarify the rules, requirements and processes under the PFMA prior to the implementation of the CDF.

A three day intensive training workshop was conducted by the MOFT for the Ministry of Rural Development staff and Constituency Development Officers earlier last week.

The main outcome of the workshop has been the preparation of tender documents which are being put out in the media to invite expressions of interest from potential suppliers bidding to be preferred suppliers for commonly procured CDF project services, materials and inputs.

This will allow evaluation and selection to be done in the next couple of weeks so that the actual procurement of goods and services can be undertaken as from April 2014.

Mr Fanega explained that the preferred supplier arrangements will then be fully compliant with the new PFMA requirements since it would have gone through the rigours of the normal pre-qualified tender process albeit only once.

“It will be more efficient because MRD will be able to purchase from any of the preferred suppliers for certain goods and services without having to go through the process each time they go out to procure, thus expediting implementation of these DCF project,” Mr Fanega said.

Mr Fanega expressed appreciation to the Government and Members of Parliament for their commitment to the goals of the public financial management reforms in abiding by the principles and provisions of the PFMA and its subsidiary instruments.

“By executing CDF projects under the new PFMA and the procurement rules, they are actually putting into effect the policy intention to enhance transparency of and improve accountability for the use of public funds,” Mr Fanega said on Friday.

Source: GCU