Country Procurement Assessment Report: 2nd Update

The Country Procurement Assessment Report (CPAR) process proved to be a successful mechanism in assessing the country’s public procurement system, identifying its strengthens and weakness, and providing an avenue for a dialogue among key stakeholders to address the weaknesses. The June 2002 CPAR, and its subsequent first update in November 2003, resulted in an agreement to act upon sixty-six (66) activities to address the existing weaknesses in the country’s public procurement system. So far, as discussed in Section II of this CPAR 2nd Update, ninety five percent 95) were either completed or ongoing as of November 2004. On account on the improvements made, it is necessary and critical therefore to follow-up the implementation of agreed actions in particular, and the overall progress of the procurement reform in general. It is also important to determine and assess the impact of the Reform thus far, its strengths and weaknesses, and again use the updated CPAR as a tool for dialogue on how to address the weaknesses uncovered. Along this line, a Joint CPAR 2nd Update Mission was conducted from November 2 to 5, 2004, with the following main objectives: a) to assess the progress of procurement reform and identify priority areas for the next three years; b) review the status of the Philippines’ Procurement Harmonization Program and identify next steps; c) review international experience on procurement monitoring and performance measurement; and d) firm up the roles of civil society organizations and the private sector to achieve sustainability.