Procurement training vital to grow sector

Public procurement is one of the key pillars of the first and second phases of the public Rwanda’s financial management (PFM) reform strategy. During the evaluation of the first phase of the PMF reform strategy (2008 to 2012) that was conducted last year, public procurement scored well and a number of achievements were noted. However, despite the commendable achievements, training and qualifications of procurement officers were noted as some of main challenges are affecting the sector’s growth and performance. According to the evaluation, there are very few procurement professionals in Rwanda, with no qualified or certified practitioners in the public sector. Recent efforts to improve the situation have seen some 20 practitioners acquire masters degrees in public procurement for sustainable development, while many more have attended short courses in procurement. In addition to the above courses, there is also a professional qualification in procurement under the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply (CIPS).To ensure that the private sector is not left behind, it is important that private companies also take steps to professionalise procurement through putting in place procedures and systems to recruite qualified professionals. However, the procurement procedures for the private sector should be well aligned to the size of the organisation and nature of business to avoid creating a complex, bureaucratic and inefficient system. Gone are the days when procurement is seen as an area best suited for general skills and qualifications. Acquiring professional qualifications is key to the growth of the sector. Therefore, each procurement professional should take steps to ensure they are equipped with the right qualifications for their role. If traffic rules do not allow a person without a licence to drive a motor vehicle, procurement should not be handled without a ‘licence’. The danger of conducting procurement without proper qualifications is non-compliant, non-transparent and non-competitive tendering processes that do not achieve value-for-money. Every procurement practitioner should, therefore, aim to obtain their “licence to procure”. The writer is a director in government and public services at PricewaterhouseCooper Rwanda