Partnership with Government in Procurement Reforms

To strengthen partnership with Government, PWI assisted the national government in its procurement reforms through the provision of technical assistance, and legal expertise, particularly in the Department of Budget and Management. Through this strategic partnership, PWI was active in the formulation of executive issuances, rules, policies and procedures to address the problem of graft and corruption in public procurement.

Primers, Checklists, and FAQs for the Procurement Procedures

To create awareness and clarify matters pertaining to the procurement of infrastructure projects, as well as of goods, supplies and materials, PWI, in coordination with the relevant government authorities, produced primers, checklists, and brochures on frequently asked questions (FAQ) for policy issuances such as the amended Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of Presidential Decree No. 1594 concerning infrastructure projects, Executive Order No. 262, series of 2000, concerning goods, supplies and materials, and the Government Procurement Reform Act (RA No. 9184) and its IRR.

Support Mechanisms for BAC Observers

To assist potential and present BAC observers in the performance of their duties, PWI set-up an e-reporting mechanism for easy transmittal of diagnostic reports.

Additionally, to encourage Observers to file diagnostic reports, PWI created a simple and clear-cut diagnostic report template that is easy to fill out.  This written diagnostic report is intended for submission to the BAC Chair, the Head of the Procuring Entity, or the Office of the Ombudsman, depending on the situation.

Moreover, PWI developed a help desk mechanism to enable PWI to respond to requests for assistance from the members of the Alliance acting as Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) observers. In so doing, there will be less confusion and therefore, a greater understating of the Government Procurement Reform Act (GPRA) and its application, among others. PWI aims to carryout this service in a timely and efficient manner. The Help Desk may be accessed through phone, fax, email, regular mail, or by simply dropping by PWI's office.

In partnership with the Office of the Ombudsman, PWI developed a Feedback and Complaints Handling Mechanism, a procedure and set of rules for Resident Ombudsmen to follow in processing diagnostic reports or complaints from Observers.  This procedure ensures that Observers’ reports of deviations from the procurement law do not fruitlessly disappear into the Ombudsman’s files and records, but are given the timely action they deserve.

In partnership with other civil society organizations engaged in procurement reform, PWI also developed a Code of Ethics for BAC Observers.

Workshops and Orientation Seminars on Government Procurement Guidelines

To provide a venue for the discussion and clarification of set guidelines for procurement, PWI held regional workshops and orientation seminars for both government and private sector.

Monitoring and Assessment of Government Agencies

In order to establish an objective and credible standard for monitoring the government procurement system, PWI conducted diagnostic exercises based on the checklists developed. PWI has partnered with the Departments of Public Works and Highways, Health, Labor and Employment, Education, and the Armed Forces of the Philippines, among others.

PWI observed and studied how these agencies conduct their biddings. Based on this exercise, PWI prepared technical reports, indicating lessons learned, analyzing the procedures involved and putting forward recommendations to Bids and Awards Committee members and the Heads of Agencies to create greater efficiency in the system.

PWI also created a tool for measuring the extent of inefficiency and corruption in public procurement.  Called the Differential Expenditure Efficiency Measurement (DEEM), the tool works basically as a comparison of the difference between what a given government agency has actually spent (“actual” cost) in procurement for a given period, and what it should have spent (“true” cost), given market prices in a competitive environment.  The assumption behind the tool is that competitive bidding, done properly, should produce prices comparable to fair market prices.  This means that procurement efficiency can be measured directly in monetary terms.

Advocacy for Procurement Reforms

In order to create greater transparency, accountability, efficiency and equal opportunity in the government procurement system, PWI was at the forefront for the advocacy of the Government Procurement Reform Bill. PWI helped secure the passage of the act by providing policy analysis, technical assistance, advocacy support, and a venue for discussion and coordination, as well as the conduct information campaigns for both private and public sector.

Training and Research

In order to aid in "professionalizing" officials involved in government procurement, PWI conducted training activities based on real government deals.

PWI developed case studies on the different aspects of government procurement, as well as comparative analyses of public biddings under the old and new systems, and used them as training materials.

PWI has conducted numerous regional training sessions for present and potential Bids and Awards Committee observers on the IRR of the Government Procurement Reform Act. Moreover, PWI organized intensive Training of Trainers sessions to expand its pool of experts and enable increased and parallel Training sessions to commence.

E-Procurement

PWI was actively involved in government re-engineering and e-procurement measures. PWI recognizes that the transparent nature and the wide audience-base of the Internet truly make on-line bidding an effective tool against graft and corruption in government procurement. However, PWI seeks to ensure the proper development and implementation of e-procurement in the Philippines through clear and well-defined policies and guidelines. PWI was represented in the Information Technology and E-Commerce Council (ITECC) of the Philippines.