Kenya moves to encourage local sourcing of goods

Nairobi – Public entities should not import goods that can be sourced from local manufacturers, new public procurement regulations say. Items falling under this category include motor vehicles, plant and equipment that are assembled in Kenya, construction materials and other material used in the transmission and conduction of electricity made in Kenya.Others are furniture, textiles, foodstuffs and other goods made or locally available in Kenya. These goods will now enjoy exclusive preference, the regulations published by the Public Procurement Oversight Authority last week indicate.“This means, public entities are not allowed to import these categories of items as they should now be sourced from within Kenya,” the PPOA circular added.Further, the cost for tender documents for government supplies has been slashed to encourage more youth and women to participate in state contracts.And if a potential supplier acquires the tender documents electronically, he or she must get the documents free of charge. These are some of the provisions contained in the amended public procurement and disposal regulations 2013 and published by the Public Procurement Oversight Authority.“The regulations also allow acquisition of bid bonds by tenderers such as youth, women and persons with disability from deposit taking microfinance institutions, Saccos, Youth Enterprise Development Fund and the Women Enterprise Fund,” said the PPOA notice.