Requesting Entity: Commission on Population (PopCom)

Issues Concern: Procurement of Consulting Services through Competitive Bidding

Details

Whether the Procuring Entity (PE) may adopt competitive bidding as a mode of procurement for its project for the conduct of surveys on young.

Section 10 of the revised Implementing Rules and Regulations of Republic Act (RA) No. 9184 provides that all procurement shall be done through competitive bidding. Alternative methods of procurement are resorted to only in highly exceptional cases set forth in Sections 48-54 of RA 9184 and its IRR.

Whether PopCom may contract out, through alternative method of procurement, the project in favor of a non-stock, non-profit private research institution of known expertise, experience and track record in demographic and population research, training and surveys on young adults.

[S]uffice it to say that expertise, experience and known track record in demographic and population research, training and surveys on young adults should not serve as the sole consideration in resorting to any of the alternative procurement modalities. It is incumbent upon the PopCom to identify and examine its actual need and provide for the best approach, scheme and strategy towards its satisfaction; and only upon confirmation and validation of the existence of the conditions warranting the application of any of the alternative methods of procurement may it proceed with its utilization.