Latest update November 18th, 2025 9:27 AM
Procurement watchdog flags sharp drop in complaints
– but warns of widespread bidder missteps
Kaieteur News – The Public Procurement Commission (PPC), in its Annual Report for July 2024 to March 2025, revealed that only 10 complaints were lodged out of 929 recorded contracts, yet a significant number of bidders are still failing to meet basic statutory requirements.
Tables showing the six Bid Protest Reviews the PPC received between July 8, 2024 and March 31, 2025.
According to the report, four of the complaints were submitted for investigation under Article 212AA(1)(h) and (i) of the Constitution, while six were bid protest reviews under Part VII of the Procurement Act. Article 212AA empowers the Commission to investigate complaints, cases of irregularity, and mismanagement, and to propose remedial action. Part VII of the Procurement Act provides a mechanism for bidders to challenge rejected tenders.
During the reporting period, the Commission received four complaints, which equate to a 55% decrease as compared with the previous year (2023-2024) in which nine complaints were received out of 814 awarded contracts. “At the beginning of the 2024/2025 year of operation, there were no pending investigations from the previous year of operation; all investigations have been addressed within the previous reporting year,” the Commission stated.
Similarly at the end of the current reporting period, there were no pending investigations as all matters were completed. Also, no requests for investigation were withdrawn during the reporting period, and no investigation remained unacknowledged or unacted upon by the close of the year, the Commission pointed out.
Detailing the four complaints, PPC stated that “one did not comply with statutory requirements, two did not fall within the remit of the PPC, and one followed the investigative process to completion with a Summary of Findings being issued.”
As it relates to the six complaints for bid protest reviews, the Commission said one qualified for referral to the Bid Protest Committee (BPC). The Committee comprises of Mr. Donald DeClou (Chairman), Ms. Soshanna Lall and Mr. Komal Singh who were appointed in March 2024.
The one qualified case, the Procurement Commission noted that the complainant was Riaz Akbar General Construction Services in relation to a Ministry of Education project which was the extension and renovation to Dormitory Building at St. Ignatius.
The Commission noted that on July 10, 2024, the complainant alleges that the published contract award sum is higher than what was recorded at the bid opening and the awarded contractor was recently awarded 2-3 other projects.
Providing a status on this review as of March 31, 2025, the Commission informed that it is “Awaiting determination by the Bid Protest Committee: Passed over to the Bid Protest Committee on August 21, 2024, in accordance with Section 54 of the Procurement Act, Cap. 73:05.”
Further of the six bid protest applications received, five failed to comply with statutory prerequisites, thereby not invoking the jurisdiction of the BPC. “This consistent trend of procedural deficiency may suggest lack of awareness among bidders regarding: the statutory protest framework, prescribed timeframes and stages, and the sequence of escalation under the Act,” the Commission explained.
Tables showing the four complaints for investigation in relation to projects awarded.
The Commission further mentioned that while it is responsible for receiving applications, it does not adjudicate the merits of bid protests. That responsibility lies exclusively with the independent BPC, whose decisions are based on law, facts, and due process.
Meanwhile, PPC stated that it remains steadfast in its commitment to ensuring that all bidders are afforded fair and accessible recourse to challenge procurement decisions. “While the low qualification rate for bid protest referrals remains a concern, the Commission views this as an opportunity to strengthen legal awareness and procedural literacy within the national procurement landscape,” it documented. The Commission said that through the combined use of education, transparency, and procedural support, it will continue to reinforce the integrity of the public procurement system and uphold the rights of bidders under the law.
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