PHILLIMON MHLANGA
Government has put in place strategies that enhances women-owned businesses’ participation in public procurement, the permanent secretary for State Enterprises Reform, Corporate Governance and Procurement, Willard Manungo, has said.
Manungo, who spoke at a public procurement forum for women on Thursday in the capital said government has ensured that public procurement is undertaken in an open, fair, transparent and competitive manner.
The forum was organised by the CEO Africa Roundtable in partnership with Procurement Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (PRAZ).
“Zimbabwe’s public procurement sector is transforming. The new public procurement framework is all embracing.
“Government recognises, under National Development Strategy 1 that without embracing the participation of women entrepreneurs in the public procurement and disposal of public assets processes, it will be a formidable task to achieve the aspirations of our vision 2030.
Hence, our women entrepreneurs are expected to take an active participative role in public procurement,” Manungo said.
He added: “The current public procurement rules are meant to ensure that there are opportunities for everyone, and that public procurement should leave no one behind.
“Endeavours to economically strengthen women, represent the democratisation of the society, and redirection towards a more just and sustainable economic development model.
Economic empowerment of women embraces the entirety of our society, representing investment in the future that guarantees sustainable prosperity of our nation. Hence, my message to the women entrepreneurs here today is not so much about the public procurement legal framework but about how we can enhance your participation in the delivery of public contracts.”
Manungo, however, warned women business leaders.
“Women led businesses must be transparent when dealing with the government in business.
“Being transparent entails setting up formal business structures, avoid conflict of interest and meeting fiscal obligations. How can businesses expect to be paid by our Treasury when they not willing to play their part in paying their tax obligations?” he asked.
“You would be aware that procurement , be it in the public sector or private sector , has been fraught with challenges related to corruption, and the New Dispensation has taken a stance to fight and overcome this menace,” Manungo said.
He added: “Women businesses need also to demonstrate integrity in the conduct of their dealings. This entails that, women businesses should not mis-represent to win tenders.”
Given the abundance of opportunities that the public procurement space offers to the private sector, Manungo said it is time for women entrepreneurs to consistently demonstrate that they can stand shoulder to shoulder with their male counterparts in bidding for and winning public contracts.
He said government would strive to ensure that the public procurement playing field was not only level but tilted towards historically dis-advantaged women owned businesses, in line with the legal framework.
“It is , therefore, critical for our women business leaders and entrepreneurs to appreciate and understand the dictates and guidelines of the Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets Act (PPDPA) of 2017 and the general regulations of 2018 as well as to be guided accordingly by PRAZ,” Manungo said.
PRAZ board chairperson, Vimbai Nyemba said the PPDPA Act, contains a number of legal provisions to create an enabling environment for transparency, fairness and equal and equitable treatment of all bidders.
“The PPDPA Act and the Procurement Regulations have brought about policies and practices aimed at improving diversity and equity, in public procurement.
“Since 2018, Zimbabwean businesswomen have been given a new lifeline by PPDPA Act through provisions such as Sector 29 of the Act and Section 8 of the Procurement Regulations that provide for domestic preference in public procurement,” she said.
Nyemba said supplying goods, works and services was no longer a preserve of the ‘boys club’.
She said it comes at a time when PRAZ was amending the PPDPA Act.
“It has been more than four years now, since the PPDPA Act was operationalised. And during this time, certain gaps have been identified in the legal framework.
“I am please to announce that whilst the process of the amendments is on-going, PRAZ took the initiative to fast track amendments to section 8 of the regulations which is very near and dear to me and I m sure to all of you as well.
“Going forward, I want to challenge the women business leaders, to work with the relevant ministries and PRAZ in formulating a verifiable database of women or entities controlled predominantly by women. As women leaders, we must influence this process. We must create a system that makes it easy for procuring entities to identify goods, works or services supplied by women owned businesses.
“I am firmly in support of the policy of a public procurement quota system for women, youth and war veterans.
This is by no means a stretch target as other African countries have similar policies. South Africa has its own Preferential Procurement Policy Framework Act (2 000) and Preferential Procurement Regulations (2017).
The PPDPA Act brought about significant changes with regards to levelling the public procurement play-field. In this regard, the Act, contains a number of legal provisions to create an enabling environment for transparency, fairness and equal and equitable treatment of all bidders.”
