Professionals task ACEN on efficient procurement process

CONSULTANT engineers in Nigeria have been tasked to get more involved in the procurement process, if their call for transparency and accountability in the implementation of the document would make desired impacts in the country.

This they said last week to the Association for Consulting Engineering in Nigeria (ACEN) during an induction ceremony for its new members, an event also tied with a lecture on ‘Enhancing the practice of engineering consultancy in Nigeria through an efficient public procurement process’.

In his welcome address, the president of ACEN, Dr. Temilola Kehinde said since the enactment of procurement Act things have been changing as greater efficiency and effectiveness are creeping into the system.

“Historically, the story used to be that projects in Nigeria cost many multiples per unit or kilometre of road, for example, of what they typically cost in neighbouring countries such as Ghana or Kenya,” Kehinde, said.

According to him, public procurement globally has become a system with processes, rules, standards, guidelines, benefits and penalties for infringements, adding that, there should be an attempt to improve efficiency and the effectiveness of the system.

Although he agreed that there have been noticeable changes in the procurement process in the country, Kehinde asked why the law appears toothless.

“The law allows adequately for sanctions for infringement of the law; but why are we not seeing the dangling of the hammer when such is necessary? Or have we suddenly become saints in our clime? Provisions are in place for delayed contract payments and are these being adequately enforced?”

The World Bank Lead Procurement Specialist, Chief Bayo Awosemusi, said the current Nigeria procurement process could be improved on in three main areas: addressing the inadequate capacity of procurement practitioner; reducing unnecessary approval procedures, which sometimes lead to delay and does not add value; and educating and penalizing unethical behavior.

According to Awosemusi, a public procurement process could only be functional if it achieved the objective of obtaining value for money, which required strategic planning, right approach to the market, sound risk management plan and evaluation criteria to determine the most advantageous bid.

He noted that with regards to the procurement of works, the engineering profession was required to be involved at every stage, and accounted for 37 per cent of the procurement cadre, hence, the need to enhance the capacity of engineering consultants in the country.

“A well-functioning procurement system in a country is critical to the timely delivery of the inputs required for the delivery of services. An efficient public procurement system is one that delivers the inputs timely and in a manner to meet specific timeliness that has been set for service delivery,” the procurement chief added.

Also, Awosemusi stated that the role of engineering consultants was to help the public service attain the concept of value for money in public expenditure, especially in procurement of works.

He added that to make the process of public procurement more transparent, there was a need for consultants to acquire skills in latest technologies.

According to him, complaints have been heard from local consulting firms that the public sector prefers to employ foreign consultants rather than using indigenous expertise.

“There is a strong belief among local consulting firms that the country has virtually got all expertise it needs except for very few specialised assignments involving advanced technologies.

In these few specialised areas, Nigerian firms are encouraged to form joint ventures with foreign firms,” he said.

After considering consultant contracts for West African countries, Awosemusi said that the engineering consultancy industry plays a critical role in the efficiency of the procurement process and the need to improve its capacity could not overemphasized.

“A good procurement system would always have an element of capacity building of its national consultants. While an efficient procurement system enhances the consultancy industry, the consultancy industry also plays a critical in enhancing the efficiency of the procurement process. The consultancy industry, particularly engineering consultancy, is involved in preparing technical specifications/terms of reference and in the evaluation of bids/proposals, which contributes to attainment of value for money in procurement.”

He added: “Since these two are major bottlenecks in the procurement process due partly to lack of capacity and non-ethical behavior, ACEN has the important role of ensuring that firms are properly trained in their area of specialization before being admitted as members. ACEN should also ensure that its members behave professionally by observing ACEN’s code of conduct and to sanction them accordingly when they are non-compliant.”

The President, Nigerian Society of Engineers, Mr. Ademola Olorunfemi, said that as a specialised profession, engineering consultancy required high level of expertise acquired over a long period of practice in the various engineering disciplines

He stated that the nation was currently facing several challenges in procurement of engineering consultancies and projects, hence the need for change.

Olorunfemi said that since projects under public procurement were usually large-sized with heavy costs and prone to risks, it was necessary for those involved to have sound technical and procurement competencies to enhance the practice and reduce deficiencies to the barest minimum.

“A sound procurement consequently ensures compliance with standards thus ensuring quality at a specified cost, while avoiding overruns and delays in project completion,” he said.

He added that the NSE was a strong advocate of the general principles of public procurement such as transparency, integrity, economy, openness, fairness, competitiveness and accountability, particularly as they applied to engineering consultancies and projects.

The General Manager, Lagos State Public Procurement Agency, Mr. Akin Onimole, stated that it had become necessary to review the impact of public procurement on the practice of engineering in the country and strategise on how to improve on it.

According to him, the concept of public procurement was institutionalised when it became an Act of Parliament in June 2007, adding that about 22 states had passed laws, which were at various stages of implementation.

He said the Lagos States Public Procurement Agency, which was created in 2012, aimed to ensure the application of fair and competitive value for money standards and practices for the procurement and disposal of public assets and services.