“Public procurement is the ‘valve’ that determines what part of public finances enters the real economy. Therefore, it is important to have clear and transparent rules governing the process”, Deputy Prime Minister Tomislav Donchev said at the fourth round table, titled Public Procurement Modernization, organized by the Bulgarian Construction Chamber.
Deputy Prime Minister Donchev announced important highlights of the new Public Procurement bill. These include: computerization of the entire process – from the call for tenders to the finalization of procedures; development of tools /including electronic ones/ for optimization of the procurement and reduction of the administrative burden for both the contracting entity and the participants; introducing the Single Procurement Document; variability in administering the open procedure through the possibility to reverse the order for consideration of proposals by first opening the price bid.
“The new law should be fully consistent with the directives, stable, and allow for easier awarding with fewer documents for all parties; [it should] provide contracting authorities with more flexibility, create an environment for the conclusion of new types of deals and the conduct of new procedures,” the Deputy Prime Minister said.
Deputy Prime Minister Donchev drew attention to the national procedure for the award of public contracts below threshold. ‘Below threshold’ procedures are relatively simple with the fundamental principles of publicity, transparency and competition being observed. The foundations for ensuring a coherent preliminary and subsequent control are set out in the Public Procurement Bill.
The discussion was attended by the Minister of Environment and Waters Ivelina Vasileva, Deputy Minister of Regional Development Denitsa Nikolova, Chair of the Parliamentary Committee on Regional Policy, Public Works and Local Government Nayden Zelenogorski, World Bank Country Manager for Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia Antony Thompson, as well as representatives of the Public Procurement Agency, the Court of Auditors, the National Audit Office, and the Public Financial Inspection Agency.