In a bid to block leakages and cut down excesses in government procurement for goods and services among Ministries, Department and Agencies (MDAs), National Public Procurement Authority (NPPA) has launched the fourth quarter of price norm serving as a guide in executing their work as procurement officers.

Speaking at the launching held yesterday at the ministry of finance conference hall in Freetown, Chief Executive Officer, NPPA, Ibrahim Brima Swaray disclosed that, producing price norms on a periodic and regular basis is the first step in price rationalization across entities.

While this current edition is in circulation, he said, NPPA’s next step would be to conduct a study to determine the level of compliance to the norm and the margin of deviation from prices contained therein.

He reiterated that, NPPA expectation is that all procuring entities would make a determined effort to make use of the price norm and to ensure that purchase prices are competitively based especially in line with the norm.

The Chief Executive Officer strongly encouraged all procurement officers to make extensive use of the price norm in their purchasing activities, stressing that, the price norm should be included amongst their treasured procurement reference materials.The Chairman of the programme who doubles as Financial Secretary, Sahr Jusu, emphasized the need for procurement officers to put price norms in all their bids advertisement for procurement and it should not be beyond the threshold required. He warned that, any procurement undertaken not consistent with the published price not would not be honoured.

He expressed thanks and appreciation to NPPA Chief Executive Officer and Board Chairman for diligent services in ensuring that they cut down government excesses on procurement.

The Financial Secretary reiterated on government’s commitment for the need to consolidate state resources for development.

NPPA Board Chairman, Alfred H. Kandeh disclosed that, the concept of price norm is not new and it has been there to guide procurement officers.

He expressed the need on value for money in procurement in a bid to prevent excess spending by government. He said, the revised quarterly price norm is very important to cushion the fluctuation in the foreign exchanges in purchasing of goods and services.