A successful experience of the procurement according to World Bank procedures
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The given material contains a detailed description of the procurement procedures according to the World Bank rules, held by Health Department of Zaporizhzhya Regional State Administration.
Health Department of Zaporizhzhya Regional State Administration is one of eight regional performers of a joint Project of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine and the World Bank “Improving Health in Servicing People”, the purpose of which is the development of medical infrastructure and improvement of the quality of medical services in Ukraine.
The Project has been realizing in Zaporizhzhya oblast within the regional sub-project “Improving Medical Care to Patients with Diseases of the Circulatory System”, which aims at the development and strengthening of primary health care (PHC). Sub-project is designed for 2 years (August 2015 – 2017). The objectives of the Project is to ensure equal and fair access of all citizens to services of primary health care, implementation of preventive programs preventing cardiovascular diseases, improving the quality and efficiency of medical care. The main measures foreseen by the subproject are completing PHC institutions with medical equipment and furniture, computerizing of workplaces, creation of educational and training centers of family medicine in each of the 32 PHC centers, installing electronic medical records.
It should be noted, that the procurement in the Project’s framework has been holding according to the World Bank international rules and procedures. Among the first subproject’s ones, was the purchase of computer and multimedia equipment for PHC centers. According to the procurement plan, the procedure had to be done “ in free trade Purchase (Shopping (SH))” at the expense of medical subvention (loan of the World Bank) stipulated in the Special Fund of the regional budget. Before to start the procedure the World Bank subproject consultants in Zaporizhzhya oblast had developed a list of necessary equipment specifications, technical requirements
and agreed them with PHC regional centers. After that, the sets of equipment, technical requirements and terms of supply were approved at the meeting of the Subproject’s Group Management (SGM), which had been established according to the corresponding order of the head of the RSA ( dated 30.03.2016 № 136). As a result, the “Invitation to provide quotes” was prepared, agreed with the consultants of the World Bank Project in the Ministry of Health in Zaporizhzhya. After that, the English version of the set of documents on the procurement procedure was sent to the World Bank to get “No objections” – a special monitoring procedure, that ensures compliance with the procurement rules of the World Bank.
Having got “No objections” from the World Bank on April 22, 2016, Health Department of Zaporizhzhya Regional State Administration (ZRSA) , announced the procurement procedure “ Multimedia equipment for the centers of the PHC and hardwear for a sub-project of advisory support group by “Procurement in the free trade” (SH) method according to the World Bank rules. The “Invitation to quote” was published on the website of the Health Department of ZRSA and on the website of the”Improving Health in Servicing People” Project of HM. Besides, the “Invitation to quote” was sent to 15 biggest firms-suppliers of computer equipment, information on which had bttn collected from public sources, qualifications and business reputation of these companies – proven by the World Bank sub-project’s experienced consultants.
During 2- week period all the potential participants had a chance to turn for all the necessary information, prepare and send their price offers. The contract had to be awarded the firm, that would offer the lowest total cost and meet the established criteria, technical and qualification requirements. The difficulty for suppliers to participate in the contest had several aspects. Firstly – according to the prescribed appointed conditions, the supplier had been obliged to deliver all the equipment on a significant amount without any prepayment. Secondly – the supplier had been also obliged to provide all the logistics, that was, to deliver all the sets of equipment in different addresses of all the recipients (32 PHC centers in all the regions of Zaporizhzhya oblast, the city of Zaporizhzhya and the local towns).
Thirdly – the supplier had to take all the difficulties and risks of settling with State budgetary institutions.
The task of the sub-project consultants in Zaporizhzhya at this level was providing the possibility of participation to maximum number of the contestants. Until the end of the announced terms, Health Department of ZRSA got 4 price offers. After the consultant analyses was over, the one was declined, as it didn’t meet the specified criteria. Also, the proposal hadn’t been added with the names and addresses of organizations that provided service in Zaporizhzhya. At the meeting of the Sub-project Management Group (SMG), the winner, that met total requirements on delivery, technical and qualification demands, was named, who offered the equipment at the lowest price. Approved by Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome Evaluation (HUS) report was sent to the World Bank approval. Receiving the World Bank “No objections” allowed the possibility of concluding a contract between the firm-supplier Ltd. “Bit Consulting” (Kyiv city) and Health Department ZRSA. Under the terms of the contract the supplier fully took on responsibilities for logistics and the address delivery of goods to all 32 PHC centers. Notification of the award of the contract was posted on the official website of the Project.
From August 17 to 25 the supplier successfully provided and finished the addressed delivery of the multimedia and computer equipment to all the PHC centers. This equipment will be used for creating teaching and training centers and the successfully provided implementation of the World Bank sub-project in Zaporizhzhya oblast.
Thus, the openness and transparency of procurement in World Bank projects is provided by a whole practical system used at the international mechanisms level. Every its step is sent to the official sites of HD ZRSA and World Bank Project’s site of HM. All interested parties have the opportunity to participate and monitor the entire process of procurement. As acquired by the Health Department of ZRSA experience certifies, international rules and the World Bank procedures are engaged in transparent, open and competitive procurement. And this experience is just as significant in the development of Ukrainian society as was the loan of equipment.
