Presidency directs MDAs to furnish BPP with quarterly progress reports for tracking procurements

Ministries, Departments and Agencies [MDAs] are now required to furnish the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) with quarterly procurement progress reports to enable the Bureau track the progress of their procurement activities and ensure that procurements are implemented within the stipulated timelines.

To be clear, for national competitive bidding, standard procurement processing time for goods and works is a total of 91 days; for international competitive bidding, it is a total of 107 days while for consultancy services, it is a total of 128 days.

According to a circular signed by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, dated May 27, 2025, obtained by THE CONCLAVE, “this (tracking) will be done in collaboration with the Central Results Delivery Coordination Unit (CRCDU) in the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.”

The circular stated that “these reports, along with those from Procurement Audits, will be shared with relevant stakeholders including relevant committees of the National Assembly.”

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“To further enhance transparency of the bid opening process and to prevent substitution of bids, procuring entities are accordingly directed to ensure that bidders present at bid opening shall countersign the bids of competing firms.

“Any officer overseeing the bid opening proceeding who fails to direct or allow bidders to counter-sign competing bids shall be appropriately sanctioned. The use of virtual tools should be adopted alongside physical attendance for bid openings and tenders board meeting,” the new circular stated.

It further directed MDAs to adopt the use of the revised standard bidding documents issued by the BPP for the implementation of all procurements under the new revised thresholds.

The circular said that the use of standard bidding documents would reduce the potential for bias, ensure that all bids were evaluated fairly, reduce the risk of favouritism and guarantee a level play field.

The circular directed procuring entities to issues notification of award to successful bidders and immediately debrief unsuccessful bidders.

According to the circular, “Following the notification of the contract award decision, a standstill period of fourteen (14) calendar days shall be observed to afford unsuccessful bidders, the opportunity to seek further information or challenge decisions on contract awards where there are valid grounds before the contract is formally awarded and no complaint shall be entertained by any Accounting Officer after the expiration of the standstill period.”

Not yet done, the circular said that in accordance with the provisions of the Public Procurement Act (PPA) 2007, procuring entities must publish the details of all contract awards on their website and the website of the BPP on a monthly basis, adding that the information should include the project description/titles, project location, name of successful bidder, contract sum, scope of work/services, completion/delivery period and progress photographs.

It further mandated the BPP to direct MDAs to ensure that in the application of the revised thresholds, particularly for projects that fall within the National Competitive Bidding Threshold and below, “such procurements shall comply with the Government’s ‘Nigeria First’ policy.”

Compliance with the “Nigeria First” policy requires MDAs to give preference to goods made in Nigeria and the use of local companies in the delivery of works and services.

The circular clarified that “the goods, works and services must, however, conform to international standards and be certified by relevant Government agencies charged with the statutory responsibilities to supervise those sectors.”