Challenges

Due to the Paris Declaration, the effectiveness and transparency of aid fund management is a priority for donors and beneficiaries. In many cases, partner governments lack the necessary capacity to guarantee accountable and transparent fund management, including effective procurement processes. As a result, they are exposed to corruption or to favoritism in the award of contract and experience difficulties in meeting the ‘best value for money’ principle: procuring goods, works and services at the right time, of the right quality, at the most cost-effective price, and in the most economical quantities. Therefore, development agencies call upon procurement agents, procurement advisory and institutional strengthening service providers capable of delivering necessary assistance. Such services safeguard a reliable procurement process adapted to the applicable rules and procedures. This trend is further driven by an increasing attention paid to ensure reliable procedures for investments, and for the execution and control of expenditures in public institutions.

GFA concept and services

As Procurement Agent, GFA establishes a procurement plan according to the needs previously defined and reviewed. Consequently, GFA staff is appointed to develop the procurement strategy, launch and manage the bidding process, provide regular technical assistance in response to queries and manage the implementation of procurement contracts. GFA ensures the quality of these processes by means of Infor SunSystems Procurement, a customized software solution by GFA B.I.S. to monitor, manage and report on the purchases made by the Procurement Agent. At the project level, GFA supports public institutions to efficiently monitor their investments by means of Triple-I, a data management system developed by GFA B.I.S. In addition, GFA has been appointed by international donors to provide advisory and control services to secure the reliability and transparency of the procurement process. GFA’s main tasks as procurement advisor include assistance in performing effective checks and balances of procurement-related transactions, price verification against market values and control over the quantity and quality of goods, works and services procured.

Contact

Cristian Ferreri

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