PPAA eyes court system integration

ARUSHA: THE Public Procurement Appeals Authority (PPAA) plans to integrate the Complaints and Appeals Module on the National e-Procurement System (NeST) with the Judiciary’s digital system to improve access to justice, enhance efficiency and strengthen accountability in public procurement.

Speaking to journalists in Arusha on Thursday on behalf of the PPAA Executive Secretary, the authority’s Head of Public Relations and Communication, Mr Nelson Kessy, said the initiative aims to simplify the handling of procurement complaints and appeals while promoting the use of technology in dispute resolution.

He said under the existing legal framework, bidders who are dissatisfied with PPAA decisions can seek a review at the High Court of Tanzania.

“The integration will make the process smoother and improve timely access to justice. When a bidder feels a PPAA decision was unfair, the case can be reviewed by the High Court to determine whether justice was served,” Mr Kessy said.

He noted that the move is intended to strengthen accountability and improve service delivery by linking the two systems electronically.

Mr Kessy also reminded bidders and other procurement stakeholders that the government requires all complaints and appeals arising from public procurement processes to be submitted electronically through the Complaints and Appeals Module available on the NeST platform.

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According to him, the digital platform has significantly improved efficiency by reducing processing time and costs, enhancing transparency and accountability, improving record management and accelerating decision-making.

He urged both local and international bidders to use the online module whenever they believe they have been unfairly treated during procurement processes, in accordance with the Public Procurement Act and its regulations.

Mr Kessy said the authority has already determined five procurement appeals involving bidders from different countries through virtual hearings conducted via video conferencing.

He added that the government continues to strengthen electronic procurement, with PPAA working closely with the Ministry of Finance and other stakeholders to enhance the system since the Complaints and Appeals Module became operational in February 2025.

Meanwhile, PPAA Head of Legal Services Ms Agnes Sayi clarified that being the sole bidder in a tender does not automatically guarantee winning the contract.

She explained that all bidders must satisfy the requirements set out in the tender documents and failure to meet even one key requirement may result in disqualification.

Ms Sayi further said procuring entities are legally required to notify all participating bidders of tender outcomes.

She advised bidders who have not received notification to formally contact the respective procuring entity for clarification on the status of the tender.

She also noted that each tender document specifies its validity period, which may range from 45 to 90 days, with the countdown beginning on the day after the tender is opened.