Deputy PS advocates for NeST in projects implementation

DODOMA: THE government has directed that supervisors of projects will be required to adopt the National eProcurement System of Tanzania (NeST) in all funds disbursed to implement development projects.

Deputy Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of State, President’s Office, Regional Administration and Local Government, Dr Charles Msonde issued the directive in Dodoma when launching a training on NeST.

According to him, the government was mulling disbursing money for implementation of development projects at the grassroots level and that those implementing the projects will be required to adopt the new system which is at its final stages of completion at that level.

NeST means a system developed, hosted and operated by the government of Tanzania in 2022 for facilitation of procurement functions by means of information and communication technology.

NeST is the electronic system that facilitates e-registration, etendering, e-contract management, e-catalogue and e-auction. Public procurement is an important economic activity involving a large part of the National Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

A large part of the government budget is spent on public procurement (excluding the salary budget and the national debt).

Public Procurement in the country is governed by the Public Procurement Act Chapter 410. This Act has created the PPRA with the aim of ensuring that the public procurement system in the country is fair, competitive, transparent and adheres to value for money. Speaking at the training session, the Deputy Permanent Secretary (PS) noted:

“Currently, the sixth phase government is planning to disburse money to projects that will be implemented at the village level especially in education and health sectors, that is why we have decided to come up with a new transparent system that will be completed any time soon.’’

Dr Msonde further directed Regional Administrative Secretaries, Regional and District Procurement Officers to make sure they provide training to heads of both primary and secondary schools as well as doctors in charge of all health facilities.

“A lot of funds from government will be channeled at the grassroots level in concerted efforts to increase efficiency, therefore it is your obligation to intensify massive training so that the projects are well expedited during implementation as well as considering value for money,’’ added Dr Msonde.

Speaking at the occasion, Training Manager from the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA), Castor Komba, noted that the state-owned public procurement body had ensured that the eprocurement system was improved to ensure that there was smooth implementation of development projects

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