Vol 145(1): v-vi, March 2016
EDITORIAL
Procurement in the Philippine scientific enterprise system
The procurement of goods and services in a publicly funded scientific research project is subject to the provisions of Republic Act No. 9184 that was signed into law on 11 January 2003 by President Macapagal-Arroyo [1]. RA 9184 is promulgated to ensure that public funds are spent wisely in a manner that upholds the principles of transparency and predictability, competitiveness and efficiency as well as accountability and openness. It applies to all procurement activities that are conducted by the national government, its departments, bureaus, offices and agencies, including state universities and colleges, government-owned and/or -controlled corporations, government financial institutions and local government units.
The Government Procurement Policy Board has been tasked to formulate the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) and to conduct a yearly review of its effectiveness of RA 9184 [2 - 3]. The latest version of the IRR was approved on 22 July 2009 [4 - 5]. It contains a set of twenty-five rules explaining the scope and application of RA 9184, the nature of proper procurement and the public bidding process, procedures for resolving disputes and establishing civil liability, and the determination of penalties and administrative sanction. It also includes a number of annexes that detail the technical requirements for the procurement of infrastructure projects, guiding principles of consulting services, prescribed schedule of procurement activities, contract implementation and guidelines for the procurement of goods, supplies and materials, infrastructure projects, consulting services, design and build infrastructure projects as well as the thresholds for shopping and small value procurement. . . . . . read more
