DepEd speeds up procurement process

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Education (DepEd) has allowed regional and division offices to create additional bids and awards committees (BACs) to expedite the procurement process in thousands of public schools nationwide.

Education Secretary Leonor Briones said heads of procuring entities such as division and regional offices may create separate BACs depending on the number and the complexity of items to be procured.

She said the committees may be organized either according to the nature of the procurement or the geographical location of the procurement management offices or end-user units of the procuring entity.

“The head of the procuring entity shall designate at least five but not more than seven members to the BAC with unquestionable integrity and procurement proficiency,” the DepEd chief said.

“Unless sooner removed for a cause, the members of the BAC shall have a fixed term of one year reckoned from the date of appointment, renewable at the discretion of the head to the procuring entity,” she added.

Briones said the chair of the committee should be at least a third ranking permanent official of the procuring entity, except the head or approving authority of the office who is not allowed to be a member of BAC.

Two other regular members should be at least a fifth ranking permanent official who will represent the finance and legal or administrative areas of the procuring entity.

Meanwhile, provisional members should be an officer with technical expertise on the items to be procured and a representative from the end-user unit.

Division and regional offices are in charge of procurement of various supplies and materials for use of public schools across the country.