Articles
Good Commune Good Service
Good Commune Good Service Program is a radio program, produced by the Good Governance Program of the Community Legal Education Center (CLEC) and broadcast by Women’s Media Center of Cambodia (FM 102) from 5:30 pm to 6:30pm, every Tuesday ofthe 3rd week of each month. It discusses various topics and gives listeners the opportunity to ask questions via two phone lines: 012 999 014 and 015 222 102.
The Good Commune Good Service Programbroadcasts from March to December 2011 andseeks to achieve3 main objectives:
- Promote people’s understanding ofeveryday work of elected commune/sangkat council - Share everydaywork experiences of commune councils from different regions - Enhance people’s involvement in management and leadership roles of commune council
On 19 July 2011, the Good Commune Good Service Program raised an important topic to be discussed with regard to commune public procurement with the presence of honored guest Mr. Yav Leng, Chief of Kampong Samnanh commune, Takmao town, Kandal province.
Mr. Yav Leng explained, “Public procurement is the process of selectingindependent contractor/supplier/service providers and entering into a contract to complete agreed works within a specific period of time. Commune procurement refers to the bidding process of selecting a contractor for the construction of asphalt concrete roads, lateritic roads, concrete roads…etc.
The commune/sangkat procurement committee consists of 4 people: 1 commune chief, 2 commune councilors and 1 commune clerk. The procurement committee has four roles and responsibilities: (1) Prepare bidding documents, (2) Advertise the bid, (3) Convene a meeting on bid opening and (4) Score the bidding documents and award the contract to the winner.
It is noted that the institutions in charge of managing all procurement works comprise of (1) commune chief, (2) procurement committee, (3) technical support officer and (4) technical support unit, technical controller, contractor/sub contractor, commune/sangkat council, project management committee, supervisory committee, coordinating groups of khan, district, town and province, local administration unit and provincial governor. All the committees have to control and monitor overall procurement process after awarding the contact.
The bidding process of each project has to follow the following 8 principles:
- There is an instruction on bidding letter to be opened in public
- Procurement committee has to check the validity of the bidding documents
- The winning bid is the valid bidding document with the lowest quoted price
- The winner has to accept the contract. If ever the contract is rejected or not signed, the mentioned winner will be ineligible for any upcoming commune procurements
- The bidding price will be valid for 45 days after the bid opening day
- The winner has to follow all the detailed designs, technical specification, terms and conditions of the contract in order for any payment request to be accepted and paid.
- Bidders have to sign the statement on ethical conduct, fraud and corruption in order to certify that they accept and follow this prakas.
- Bidders who don’t accept the mentioned conditions are forced to withdraw from the bidding process.
Mr. Yav Leng asserted, “Commune procurement should be of benefit to local development based on transparent and account able principles, without which, development will not be transparent due to personal benefit issues.”
“People’s participation in the procurement process is crucial in order to ensure (1) ownership, (2) counterpart fund contribution and (3) participation in managing O&M for the sustainability of the achievements,” he added.