Challenges of e-GP implementation in public procurement: case study on Election Commission Secretariat, (a constitutional organization) Dhaka, Bangladesh

Abstract

Effective procurement management plays a pivotal role in streamlining supply chain operations, ensuring timely and appropriate product acquisition, and cost-saving through bulk purchases and supplier relationships. In the context of Bangladesh, delays in procurement have historically been a major contributor to project overruns in its development initiatives. With a vision to achieve Middle-Income, Upper Middle-Income, and Higher Income Country status by 2041, the government seeks to allocate 80% of funds through public procurement, emphasizing the need for values and ethical standards and good governance. The introduction of the Public Procurement Act 2006 (PPA-2006) and Public Procurement Rules 2008 (PPR-2008) marked progress in project implementation efficiency. However, challenges yet persisted in reducing time and cost overruns. The Electronic Government Procurement (e-GP) system was introduced as a milestone for enhancing procurement efficiency, at first in engineering organizations, later on expanded to include 1437 organizations, with the BEC initiating its implementation in 2022. While e-GP has been adopted widely, numerous public sector organizations face implementation hurdles, inhibiting its widespread utilization. Moreover, its long-term effects on social, economic, environmental, sustainability, and inclusiveness factors remain underexplored. This study specifically focuses on the challenges encountered by the Bangladesh Election Commission (BEC) in implementing e-GP and underscores the need for readiness and preparedness. Conducting a questionnaire survey among BEC procurement officials, the study recommends measures to mitigate these challenges. While e-GP presents several benefits over traditional methods, such as efficiency and transparency, challenges include a lack of leadership, inadequate training facilities, and logistic supports requirements. The study paves the way of institutionalization and emphasizes the importance of further research to explore the full potential of e-GP. The literature review highlights some strengths and weaknesses of the BEC regarding procurement performance. Strengths found are that as a constitutional body it can submit demand for money as much as it requires. It enjoys autonomy in implementing power without any external influence. The BEC disposes complaints raised by any bidder within define time-period. Side by side, it has some weaknesses also. Conducting national and local bodies’ election being its main business, procurement activities are found to be support services. While Election Officers are adept in election rules and regulations, they have only average capacity in implementing procurements. This is evident by the fact that only a few have procurement and project related professional certifications like MCIPS/PMP/MPSM, etc. To address e-GP implementation challenges, the following recommendations are proposed: Intensive Training: Offer comprehensive training and workshops to enhance e-GP skills. Promote Awareness: Increase awareness and willingness among officials to use the e-GP system effectively. Direction & Motivation: Encourage top management to provide direction and motivation. Simplify Processes: Streamline post-qualification verification and procurement processes. Capacity Building: Invest in skilled manpower for successful e-GP implementation. Engage Tenderers: Educate and engage tenderers in the e-GP processes. Streamline Apps: Ensure user-friendly e-GP applications. Computer Competency: Provide additional training for computer and language competency. Network Facilities: Ensure sufficient network and computer facilities. Data Management: Develop effective data management strategies. Enhance Connectivity: Improve internet connectivity and infrastructure. Stakeholders' Engagement: Engage all stakeholders for performance measurement and policy alignment. It is also recommended that the Election Commission Secretariat (ECS) is to cease manual tenders and fully transition to e-GP for a more efficient procurement process. Active management support and continuous user feedback are crucial for successful e-GP implementation. For future research in the realm of e-GP, several areas hold significant potential, including exploring actual cost savings, evaluating performance metrics, investigating e-GP's viability for audit trials, considering ethical considerations, and assessing e-GP as an innovative procurement system. As e-GP becomes more deeply rooted in Bangladesh, these recommendations and research areas can contribute to better governance and economic outcomes through optimized e-GP implementation.