PPAA pushes digital reforms in public procurement
DODOMA: The Public Procurement Appeals Authority (PPAA) is planning to enhance the module for submitting and handling complaints and appeals in the National e-Procurement System of Tanzania (NeST) by integrating it with the Judiciary’s electronic system in the forthcoming 2026/27 financial year.
The initiative is aimed at simplifying access to information whenever decisions issued by the PPAA are taken to the High Court for review.
PPAA Executive Secretary, Mr James Sando, revealed this in Dodoma during training focused on opportunities and the rights of businesspeople and special groups in public procurement processes, insisting that the move aligns with the Tanzania Development Vision 2050.
Referring to Vision 2050, Mr Sando said the ambitious framework emphasises investment in the use of ICT to help citizens access services more quickly and easily.
“The objective of integrating the systems is to bring essential services closer to citizens in a timely manner,” he emphasised at the well-attended event, which brought together traders, entrepreneurs, and special groups, including youth.
The PPAA boss added that the authority is embarking on the integration initiative after the newly launched electronic module for receiving and handling complaints and appeals proved successful.
According to the PPAA Executive Secretary, the module has brought several benefits, including saving time, reducing costs, increasing efficiency, and creating broader room for transparency and accountability.
Other benefits, he added, include proper record keeping in handling complaints and appeals, as well as enabling bidders to track the progress of their appeals, with all documents accessible through the NeST system, thereby enhancing transparency.
“To enable public procurement stakeholders to effectively use the module, the Public Procurement Appeals Authority (PPAA) has continued conducting training sessions on the use of the complaints and appeals management module in the NeST system,” he explained.
So far, training sessions have been conducted across the Coastal Zone, Lake Zone, Northern Zone, Southern Highlands Zone, Central Zone, and various regions including Lindi, Mtwara, Ruvuma, Njombe, Iringa, and Dodoma.
Officiating at the one-day training in the capital, Dodoma Regional Commissioner, Rosemary Senyamule, called on participants to become good ambassadors of the Government in empowering youth and special groups economically.
“I would also like to urge all bidders and public procurement stakeholders across the country to actively participate in training on opportunities and the rights of businesspeople and special groups in public procurement processes,” she said.
The Regional Commissioner added that the PPAA was conducting such sessions as part of the Government’s commitment to economically empower youth, special groups, and businesspeople working with the Government so that they can seize available opportunities and claim their rights in public procurement processes.
According to the regional boss, the Government has continued to be a key stakeholder in the business activities of various suppliers and contractors across the country, something that everyone has witnessed.
“Therefore, I urge us all to continue cooperating with our Government in bringing essential services closer to citizens in a timely manner, as outlined in the Tanzania Development Vision 2050,” she insisted.
The training was facilitated by experts from the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA), the PPAA, the President’s Office responsible for Youth Development, and representatives from the banking sector.
