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Singapore Gov't to Tighten Rules on Its Tender Processes |
| Source: |
news.xinhuanet.com |
| Source Date: |
Monday, August 13, 2012 |
| Focus: |
ICT for MDGs
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| Country: |
Singapore |
| Created: |
Aug 14, 2012 |
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Singapore government said on Monday it will tighten the rules on its tender processes, in the wake of procurement lapses and graft allegations involving senior officials.
Speaking in the parliament on Monday, Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam said that, for those procurements where only a single bid is received, the Ministry of Finance will require officers to provide additional justifications to the approving authority within each agency.
The government agencies and statutory bodies in Singapore currently invite biddings on a one-stop online platform for procurements with quotations of below 70,000 Singapore dollars (56, 000 U.S. dollars).
The minimum tender period for suppliers to submit bids for quotations of government contracts of between 3,000 Singapore dollars and 70,000 Singapore dollars in value will be extended from 4 work days to 6 six work days.
An officer from the National Parks Board was recently suspended after investigators found that the awarding of a purchase contracts might be biased, though the purchase itself was justifiable and the procedures were followed.
The National Parks Board bought 26 Brompton foldable bicycles for its officers patrolling the parks at the price of 2,200 Singapore dollars each. Only one supplier bid for the purchase, offering two models. It was later found that the supplier and the responsible officer are friends.
A number of senior officials were also involved in graft cases recently and were accused of extending favors to certain suppliers.
Tharman said Singapore's system of public sector procurement is "on the whole, in good working order."
"Officials who are negligent are subject to disciplinary proceedings. Where corruption or fraud is suspected, an officer faces the full measure of the law. Everyone knows that, and it deters wrong-doing," he said.
Tharman said that over the past three years, procurements that attracted single bidders accounted for about 2 percent of the total value of contracts awarded each year. Most of these procurements were quotations of below 70,000 Singapore dollars in value each. A number of tenders above 70,000 Singapore dollars in value also attracted single bids despite an average tender period of 20 days.
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Singapore Gov't to Tighten Rules on Its Tender Processes Singapore government said on Monday it will tighten the rules on its tender processes in the wake of procurement lapses and graft allegations involving senior officials
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