Ministry of Finance rejects SSC's N$43.8 million tender exemption request

The SSC had sought an exemption under Section 42 of the Public Procurement Act, 2015, for systems related to the National Pension Fund, National Medical Benefit Fund, and the Public Servants Medical Aid Scheme. Finance Minister Ericah Shafudah stated that the SSC did not adequately justify setting aside the entire procurement law, noting that the law already provides alternative procurement methods, such as restricted bidding, which the SSC could utilize given the specialized nature of the services. She also pointed to a government directive allowing for shorter bidding periods to address time constraints.

The ministry indicated that exemptions could be considered for specific parts of the law, but not the entire act. The SSC had argued that the systems are highly specialized, require complex processes, and that standard procurement timelines were impractical due to the project's urgency and a ministerial directive to urgently implement the funds. The SSC also intended to engage experienced international vendors.

Minister Shafudah directed the SSC to work with the Central Procurement Board of Namibia to develop a procurement implementation plan in line with the law. This decision follows earlier internal concerns within the SSC regarding procurement processes for the same funds, including an internal audit req