[1][1]The
(Pb Ord XIX of 2007)
[25 October 2007]
An Ordinance to provide for the
establishment of the Procurement Regulatory Authority in the
Whereas it is expedient to provide for the establishment of the Procurement Regulatory Authority for regulating procurement of goods, services and works in the public sector and for matters connected therewith;
And whereas the Provincial
Assembly of the Punjab is not in session and the Governor of the
Therefore, in exercise of the powers conferred by Article 128 of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, the Governor of the Punjab is pleased to make and promulgate the following Ordinance:---
1. Short title, extent and commencement.– (1) This Ordinance may be cited as the Punjab Procurement Regulatory Authority Ordinance, 2007.
(2) It shall come into force at once.
(3) It extends to the whole
of the
2. Definitions.– In this Ordinance,---
(a) “Authority” means the Punjab Procurement Regulatory Authority established under section 3;
(b) “Board” means the Board of Management constituted under section 6;
(c) “Chairperson” means the Chairperson of the Board;
(d) “corrupt and fraudulent practices” includes the offering, giving, receiving, or soliciting of any thing of value to influence the action of a public official or the supplier or contractor in the procurement process or in contract execution to the detriment of the procuring agencies; or misrepresentation or omission of facts in order to influence a procurement process or the execution of a contract, collusive practices among bidders (prior to or after bid submission) designed to establish bid prices at artificial, non-competitive levels and to deprive the procuring agencies of the benefits of free and open competition, to harm or threaten to harm persons or their property to influence procurement proceeding or affect the execution of a contract and any request for, or solicitation of anything of value by any public official in the course of the exercise of his duty;
(e) “Fund” means the Public Procurement Fund;
(f) “goods” means articles and objects of every kind and description including raw materials, products, equipment, machinery, spares and commodities in any form and includes services incidental to installation, transport, maintenance and similar obligations related to the supply of goods if the value of these services does not exceed the value of such goods;
(g) “Government” means the Government
of the
(h) “Managing Director” means the Managing Director of the Board;
(i) “Member” means a member of the Board;
(j) “misprocurement” means public procurement in contravention of any provision of this Ordinance, rules, regulations, orders or instructions made thereunder or any other law in respect of, or relating to the public procurement;
(k) “prescribed” means prescribed by the rules made under this Ordinance;
(l) “Procuring Agency” means,---
(i) a department or office of the Government;
(ii) a district government; or
(iii) an authority,
corporation, program, project, body or organization established by or under
a Provincial law or which is owned or controlled by Government of the
(m) “Public Fund” means the Provincial Consolidated Fund and the Public Account of the Province as defined in the Constitution of Islamic Republic of Pakistan and includes funds of a Procuring Agency;
(n) “public procurement” means acquisition of goods, services or rendering of works financed wholly or partly out of the Public Fund, unless excluded by the Government;
(o) “regulations” means regulations made under this Ordinance;
(p) “rules” means rules made under this Ordinance;
(q) “services” includes advisory and consultancy services of any kind; and
(r) “works” means a construction work adding consisting of erection, assembly, repair, renovation or demolition of a building or structure or part thereof, such as site preparation, excavation, installation of equipment or materials and decoration, finishing and includes incidental services such as drilling, mapping, satellite photography, seismic investigations and similar activities, if the value of those services does not exceed that of the works themselves.
3. Establishment of Authority.– (1) The Government shall, by notification, establish an Authority to be called the Punjab Procurement Regulatory Authority for carrying out the purposes of this Ordinance.
(2) The Authority shall be a body corporate, having perpetual succession and common seal with power to enter into contract; and it may sue or be sued by the said name.
4. Directions by the Government.– The Government may issue directive to the Authority on a matter of policy and the directive shall be binding on the Authority.
5. Functions and powers of the Authority.– (1) The Authority may take measures and exercise powers as may be necessary for improving governance, management, transparency, accountability and quality of public procurement.
(2) Subject to sub-section (1), the Authority may,---
(a) monitor application of the laws, rules, regulations, policies and procedures in respect of, or relating to the public procurement;
(b) monitor the implementation of and evaluate laws, rules, regulations, policies and procedures in respect of, or relating to, inspection or quality of goods, services and works and recommend reformulation thereof or revisions therein as it deems necessary;
(c) recommend to the Government revisions in or formulation of new laws, rules and policies in respect of or related to public procurement;
(d) make regulations and lay down codes of ethics and procedures for public procurement, inspection or quality of goods, services and works;
(e) establish performance indicators for procurement performance of the Procuring Agencies and monitor compliance with these indicators through independent third party evaluation and make recommendations for improvement of procurement performance of the Procuring Agencies;
(f) issue guidance and instructions regarding the interpretation and implementation of the Ordinance, rules and regulations;
(g) provide assistance and coordinate with the Procuring Agencies for developing and improving their institutional framework and public procurement activities;
(h) prepare standard documents to be used in connection with public procurement;
(i) present an annual report to the Government regarding the overall functioning of the public procurement system, including recommendations on measures to be taken by the Government to enhance the quality of procurement work;
(j) call a functionary of a Procuring Agency to provide assistance in its functions and call for information from a Procuring Agency pursuance of its objectives and functions;
(k) develop, promote and support training and professional development policy of officials and other persons engaged in public procurement; and
(l) perform other function as may be assigned to it by the Government.
6. Board.– (1) The management and administration of the Authority shall vest in the Board of Management.
(2) The Board shall consist of,---
(a) Chief Secretary to the Government; Chairperson
/(b) Secretary to the Government, Member
Finance Department;
(c) Secretary to the Government, Member
Planning and Development Department;
(d) Secretary to the Government, Member
Health Department;
(e) Secretary to the Government, Member
Information Technology Department;
(f) Secretary to the Government, Member
Irrigation and Power Department;
(g) Three Members from private sector Member
nominated by the Government;
(h) Three Members from private sector Member
nominated by the Lahore Chamber of
Commerce and Industry; and
(i) Managing Director Secretary/
Member.
(3) A Member other than an ex-officio Member shall hold office for a period of three years and shall be entitled to the perks and privileges as Government may determine.
(4) A Member other than an ex-officio Member may resign by tendering his resignation to the Government.
(5) A casual vacancy in the Board shall be filled through nomination by appropriate authority for the residue of the term of the outgoing Member.
(6) The existing of a vacancy in the constitution of the Board shall not invalidate an act or proceedings of the Board.
7. Meeting of the Board.– (1) The meeting of the Board shall be presided over by the Chairperson or in his absence by a member nominated by the Chairperson.
(2) Seven Members shall constitute the quorum for a meeting of the Board.
(3) An ex-officio Member may nominate an officer, not below the rank of an Additional Secretary, to attend the meeting.
(4) The Board shall take decision by a simple majority of the Members present and voting.
(5) Managing Director shall record the minutes of the meeting.
8. Managing Director.– (1) The Government shall appoint Managing Director of the Board for a period of three years on the terms and conditions as it may determine.
(2) The Government shall not vary, alter or modify the terms and conditions of service of the Managing Director during his term of office.
(3) The Managing Director shall be responsible for day to day administration of the Authority.
(4) The Managing Director shall be eligible for re-appointment but his total tenure shall not exceed six years.
(5) The Government shall not appoint a person as the Managing Director, if he,---
(a) has been convicted of an offence involving moral turpitude;
(b) has been removed from a service for misconduct;
(c) has been adjudged as un-discharged insolvent;
(d) is incapable of discharging his duties by reasons of physical or mental incapacity in the opinion of a Medical Board constituted by the Government; or
(e) has a conflict of interest with the Authority.
(6) The Managing Director may resign by tendering his resignation to the Government.
(7) A Managing Director shall not engage in any other service, business, vocation or employment nor shall he, before the expiry of one year from the date of his relinquishment of the charge of his office, enter into employment or accept any advisory or consultancy relationship with any person engaged in public procurement activity:
Provided that where the Managing Director is a government servant, there shall be no such restrictions on his employment after his retirement or transfer from the post of Managing Director.
(8) A Managing Director shall not have a direct or indirect financial interest or connection with a Company engaged in public procurement activity during the term of his office and for a period of one year thereafter.
(9) The Managing Director shall–
(a) exercise administrative control over the personnel of the Authority;
(b) exercise, in respect of the Authority, such other management, administrative and financial powers as may be determined by the Board;
(c) submit the annual budget proposals of the Authority to the Board;
(d) prepare the annual report of the Authority for the Board and the Government;
(e) exercise powers as the Board may delegate to him; and
(f) act on behalf of the Authority, in any emergency, subject to the obligation to report the action to the Board at its next meeting and to seek ratification of his action.
9. Appointment and remuneration of the third party evaluation firms.– (1) The Authority may appoint a firm for conducting a third party evaluation of public procurement contracts of a Procuring Agency against payment of remuneration.
(2) Subject to sub-section (3), the criteria for the selection and appointment of a firm for third party evaluation shall be prescribed.
(3) A firm that submitted bid for the award of a public procurement contract of a Procuring Agency shall not be eligible for appointment as evaluator of the contracts of the Procuring Agency.
(4) The firm shall submit its evaluation report to the Authority.
10. Training.– The Authority shall formulate training policies and launch training programmes for the relevant personnel of the Procuring Agencies.
11. Maintenance of website.– (1) The Authority shall maintain a website for the procurement activities.
(2) The Procuring Agency shall update the procurement activities on the website in the prescribed manner.
12. Fund.– (1) The Authority shall establish a Fund to be known as the Public Procurement Fund.
(2) The sources of income of the Fund shall be,---
(a) grants made by the Government;
(b) donations, endowments and grants from any individual or organization except from those dealing with public procurement;
(c) income from investment by the Authority; and
(d) all other sums or properties which may in any manner become payable to, or vest in the Authority.
(3) The Authority shall keep, maintain and spend the Fund in the prescribed manner.
(4) The Authority shall exercise prudence in all financial transactions.
(5) The Authority shall spend the Fund for the purpose of–
(a) paying an expenditure lawfully incurred by the Authority, relating to remuneration of its Members, employees, advisers, and consultants of the Authority, legal fees and costs as well as other fees and costs;
(b) paying any other expenses, costs or expenditure properly incurred by the Authority in the performance of its functions or exercise of its powers;
(c) purchasing or hiring equipment, machinery and any other work and undertakings in the performance of its functions or exercise of its powers;
(d) payment of a financial obligation; and
(e) payment of an expense for carrying out the provisions of this Ordinance.
13. Power to obtain finances and receive grants.– The Authority may, with the approval of the Government, accept grants from entities both domestic and international, including multilateral agencies, except those connected with public procurements, for meeting its obligations or performing its functions.
14. Investment.– The Authority may invest its surplus funds in the prescribed manner.
15. Budget and accounts.– (1) The Managing Director shall maintain the accounts of the Authority in the prescribed manner.
(2) The Managing Director shall prepare, for approval of the Government, by such date and in such form as may be specified by the Government, a statement showing the estimated receipts and current expenditure and the sums required by the Authority from the Government during the next financial year.
16. Audit of the Authority.– (1) The Government shall appoint a firm of chartered accountants for the annual audit of the accounts of the Authority.
(2) Annual audit report of the accounts of the Authority shall be laid before the Board for approval.
17. Information.– (1) The Authority may call for an information required by it for carrying out the purposes of this Ordinance, from a person or an institution concerned with the public procurement and the person or the institution shall provide the requisite information.
(2) The Authority shall furnish information to the Government, as the Government may require.
18. Annual report.– (1) The Authority shall, before the end of October, prepare its annual performance report of the preceding financial year which shall include inquires and investigations made by the Authority during the financial year.
(2) The Authority shall submit to the Government its annual audit report and the annual performance report.
19. Ethical considerations.– A Procuring Agency shall observe ethical standards and principles of conduct laid down by the Authority.
20. Appointment of officer and staff, etc.– The Authority may appoint such officers, servants, advisers, consultants and experts, as it may consider necessary for performance of its functions in accordance with the criteria and procedure as may be provided in the regulations.
21. Members, officers, etc. to be public servants.– The Chairperson, Members, Managing Director, officers, servants, advisers, consultants and experts of the Authority shall, when acting or purporting to act in pursuance of any of the provisions of this Ordinance or the rules and regulations made there under, be deemed to be public servants within the meaning of section 21 of the Pakistan Penal Code, 1860 (XLV of 1860).
22. Delegation.– The Board may, by such conditions and limitations as it may deem fit to impose, delegate any of the functions or powers of the Authority to the Managing Director, or one or more Members or any of the officers of the Authority except the power to,---
(a) approve audited accounts of the Authority;
(b) recommend exemption under section 23; and
(c) make, amend or repeal regulations.
23. Power to exempt.– The Board may, for reasons to be recorded in writing, recommend to the Government that the procurement of an object or class of objects in the public interest be exempted from the operation of this Ordinance, the rules, the regulations or any other law regulating public procurement.
24. Indemnity.– No suit, prosecution or other legal proceedings shall lie against the Authority, the Board, the Chairperson or any member, officer, servants, advisers or consultants of the Authority in respect of anything done in good faith in public interest or intended to be done under this Ordinance, the rules or the regulations.
25. Common seal.– (1) The Managing Director or such other person, as the Chairperson may authorize, shall keep the common seal of the Authority.
(2) The seal shall be authenticated in the manner as may be prescribed and a document, pertaining to the public procurement, authenticated with the seal of the Authority shall be admissible as evidence of the contents of the document.
26. Rules.– The Government may, by notification, make rules for carrying out the purposes of this Ordinance.
27. Regulations.– Subject to the provisions of the Ordinance and the rules, the Authority may make regulations for giving effect to the provisions of this Ordinance.
28. Repeal.– The Punjab Procurement Regulatory Authority Ordinance, 2007 (XIII of 2007) is hereby repealed.
[1][1]Promulgated
by the Governor of the
