By MAIMBOLWA MULIKELELA –
THE Market Price Index (MPI) is still in effect and all procuring entities should utilise the benchmarked prices when making purchases, Zambia Public Procurement Authority (ZPPA) has said.
ZPPA director general Idah Chella advised procuring entities to utilise the benchmarked prices when undertaking their procurement, stating that the MPI issued in October, 2021 was still in effect.
In a circular issued to all public institutions, Ms Chella indicated that with the respective internal approvals, authorities would consider the recommended best evaluated bidder’s price to ensure that it was within the positive/negative tolerable prescribed percentage range of the price in the MPI.
She said this was guided by the Circular No.5 of 2021.
Ms Chella advised procuring entities to continue undertaking price reasonableness analysis where an item to be procured was not covered in the MPI.
“Procuring entities are advised to submit price reasonableness analysis to the Authority for items not covered in the MPI. Circular No3. of 2022 is accessible on our website,” she said.
