E-Government Procurement: Enabling Business through Efficient Systems = ඉ-රාජ්‍ය ප‍්‍රසම්පාදනය: කාර්යක්‍ෂම පද්ධතීන් හරහා ව්‍යාපාර බලාත්මක කිරීම

Abstract

Public procurement is a key instrument through which governments deliver important social and economic goods to citizens. Public procurement in Sri Lanka currently suffers from three main weaknesses. First, information related to procurement, such as tender opportunities and contract awards, is difficult to access. Second, bidding imposes high transaction costs on businesses and government agencies, including costs associated with preparing and submitting bids. Third, Sri Lanka’s procurement marketplace has featured anti-competitive practices leading to corruption. Strengthening public procurement in Sri Lanka requires steps to be taken to enhance its efficiency, cost-effectiveness and competitiveness. The report recommends application of electronic systems to the public procurement process or adopting e-Government Procurement (E-GP) as a way to solve some of the identified problems. The report highlights four enabling factors that will strengthen E-GP in Sri Lanka.