All government agencies will have to conduct procurement through the newly launched e-Government Procurement (e-GP) portal starting July 1, Head of Public Service Felix Koskei has announced.
Through a statement on Wednesday, May 14, Government Spokesperson Isaac Mwaura announced that Koskei had directed all procurement entities to shift to e-procurement by July 1 of this year.
As per the State, the move would be key in saving billions of shillings lost in the current process due to graft and interference.
“Over Ksh250 billion will be saved through the elimination of graft through human agency and interference,” noted Mwaura in a statement.
The new directive follows trials done on the new digital system between March and May ahead of its impending rollout.
In March, the government directed all suppliers to register on the system, called the e-GP portal, providing the necessary steps.
The four steps are registration, input of contact and business details, and company address.
Before starting the process, suppliers will need a valid company or business registration number issued and maintained by the Business Registration Service (BRS), an ID number, and a Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) PIN for the business or individual, as well as a certificate of registration, incorporation, or compliance and an official mobile phone number and email address.
These details are necessary for the registration process. According to Treasury, the government would not hesitate to decline any registration for suppliers whose data is not up to date or has discrepancies.
It is important to note that only business owners are responsible for registering as government suppliers. According to Treasury, the person managing the supplier's account in the e-GP system must be the business owner (for sole proprietors) or a director, partner, or authorised individual from the business.
Treasury will also require those with legal authority to register to show acceptable forms of legal instruments, including a power of attorney (PoA) and board resolutions duly prepared and executed in full compliance with the relevant law and requirements.
These documents must specify the capacity and powers of a director, partner, or individual authorised to register and transact in the e-GP system on behalf of the supplier and must be certified by an Advocate, Commissioner of Oaths, or, where applicable, Company Secretary.
According to the application requirements, all suppliers must provide a valid business email address and phone number. “It is the supplier's responsibility to ensure that the email and phone accounts are active and monitored regularly,” Treasury said.
Foreign suppliers who aren’t registered with the BRS can sign up for the e-GP system with the help of an authorised representative. However, to receive a contract, registration with the BRS is essential.
Prior to registration, the government embarked on a weekly supplier registration webinar every Thursday from April 10 running till May 30 to allow suppliers to navigate the new system.
