Workshop held on draft SPP policy

A workshop on a draft of the Sustainable Public Procurement (SPP) policy was held in Dhaka aiming to take the opinions of representatives from various ministries, divisions and selected public sector organisations.

The workshop was held at the NEC conference room of the Planning Commission campus at She-e-Bangla Nagar in Dhaka on 16 March. Bangladesh is the first country in South Asia to adopt the SPP Policy, said a press statement.

The Central Procurement Technical Unit (CPTU) of the Implementation Monitoring and Evaluation Division (IMED) under the Planning Ministry arranged the workshop under the Digitizing Implementation Monitoring and Public Procurement (DIMAPP) project supported by the World Bank.

The workshop was conducted to finalise the draft policy by taking the opinions of representatives who have a major stake in the value and volume of public procurement in the country.

After finalisation, the SPP principles will gradually be addressed in the public procurement framework. The SPP principles are expected to be piloted in paper and paper products, office supplies, computer and other electronic equipment and supplies, office and other furniture or related wooden appliances, vehicles and transportation equipment and official paper-made publications.

The objective of the draft policy is to incorporate economic, social and environmental issues and some more important aspects like the life-cycle cost of goods and services in the process of public procurement.

State Minister for the Planning Ministry Prof Dr Shamsul Alam was present at the workshop as the chief guest presided by IMED Secretary Abul Kashem Md Mohiuddin.

CPTU Director General Mohammed Shoheler Rahman Chowdhury provided a detailed presentation on the contents of the draft SPP Policy. Lead Procurement Specialist Ahsan Ali, World Bank Dhaka office and Task Team Leader of DIMAPP Project and Senior Procurement Specialist ANM Mustafizur Rahman spoke about WB involvement and the necessity of the policy.

Officials present in the workshop gave their opinions on the draft policy aiming to assist CPTU to finalise the policy by considering observations made in the workshop.

Earlier, the CPTU drafted the policy under DIMAPP Project and posted it on the CPTU website for public opinion. Based on that feedback, the CPTU revised it and again posted it on the CPTU website.

The CPTU of IMED has been working on sustainable public procurement issues which are mentioned in the 12.7 targets of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). Under the SDG, a sustainable public procurement system has to be established in the country by 2030.