5,000 youth groups get the nod to apply for State tenders
President Uhuru Kenyatta tours an exhibition stand last October when he directed that 30 per cent of bids be reserved for special groups, FILE
What you need to know:
Government agencies start reserving bids for businesses run by youth, women and people with disability.
Government agencies have started reserving a share of their tenders for businesses run by youth, women and people with disability in line with the new procurement rules.
At the same time, an assistant of the public procurement director at the National Treasury Celestine Otunga said more than 5,000 youth groups have been prequalified and registered to participate in public tendering.
“We encourage online registration on Treasury website to avoid traffic to the office,” she said.
The Public Procurement and Disposals (Preferences and Reservations) Regulations 2013 seek to energise special interest groups who have in the past been elbowed out of State contracts by well-heeled bidders.
The Kenya Urban Roads Authority (Kura) has, for the first time, placed a tender notice split into two, one for all bidders and the other for special groups.
The Ministry of Defence has also invited supply bids for items including berets, vehicle canopies and spare parts, food and furniture with a bias towards this constituency.
“Groups classified under access to government procurement opportunities (Agpo) are encouraged to apply,” a notice that appeared in the newspapers on Monday said.
President Uhuru Kenyatta last October issued a directive that 30 per cent of State tenders be reserved for financially disadvantaged groups — youth, women and persons with disability. This was a threefold increase from the 10 per cent under former president Mwai Kibaki.
State purchase of goods and services is estimated at about Sh800 billion, meaning the ring-fenced supplies could be worth about Sh240 billion. This week’s notice was the third procurement notice the Defence department has released in a month.
The Kura contracts involve routine maintenance of municipal roads in Western Kenya including Kakamega, Mumias, Vihiga, Webuye, Busia and Bungoma.
“Commencement of the project is expected in March and completion in September this year,” said the Kura corporate communication officer John Cheboi on phone.
Kura spends Sh2.4 billion on average per year on road upgrade and maintenance.
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