The National Public Procurement Authority (NPPA) has on the 26th October 2023 launched the fourth quarter 2023 public procurement price norm at the Civil Service Training College (CSTC) on OAU Drive, Tower Hill, Freetown.

It is noted that, the Public Procurement Price Norm is a legal document containing price data for various commodities (usually referred to as common user items), and these data are primarily used by the Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) of the Government of Sierra Leone (GoSL) to ensure that procurement activities are conducted efficiently and cost-effectively.

Easmon Alpha, the Assistant Director of the Procurement Directorate at the Ministry of Finance (MoF), underscored the vital role of the price norm in the public procurement process. He emphasized that the price norm serves as a foundational tool for cost estimation, procurement planning, bid evaluation, verification of quotations, and contract management.

He also highlighted the necessity of conducting market surveys with precision and intelligence to ensure the effectiveness and efficiency of the price norm. He encapsulated his message by quoting: “Do more with less by harnessing procurement strategies and the price norm to protect value for money and maximize efficiency.”

The Chairman of the NPPA Board of Authority Mr. Alfred H. Kandeh welcomed the new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the NPPA, Mr. Fodie J. Konneh to the NPPA family. He assured the CEO of the board and staff’s dedication to working collaboratively to ensure the NPPA continues to fulfil its mandates efficiently.

The new CEO, Mr. Fodie J. Konneh, expressed his gratitude to the attendees and set out his vision for the NPPA under his leadership. He made it clear that his administration would not work against the Public Procurement Act of 2016 or any other legal public procurement instrument but would complement and enforce them to the letter. He called upon fellow practitioners to support him in advancing the public procurement sector by performing their duties effectively and efficiently.

He promised that during his tenure, he would make efforts to professionalize the public procurement sector and transition procurement processes from paper-based methods to electronic-government procurement (e-GP). His commitment to enforcing all legal instruments of the NPPA underscored the authority’s dedication to accountability and fiscal responsibility.