BPP: Over 300,000 companies are doing business with FG

The Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) said that over 300,000 companies were currently providing services for the Federal Government in the country.

This was announced in Abuja by the Bureau’s Head, Public Relations,  Thomas Odemwingie in an interview on Thursday. He said that the bureau had decided to compile a national data base of contractors, consultants and service providers to ensure transparency in procurement processes in the country.

He said that from the data base, contractors would be classified based on similar competencies, thereby ensuring fair competition and improving expertise in procurement processes.

“The Bureau has developed and deployed an electronic system for the registration, verification and categorisation of contractors, consultants and service providers.

“The Bureau emphasises the need for all contractors, consultants and service providers to register.

“The central registration has the benefit of eliminating multiple registrations with different procuring entities of the Federal Government,” he said.

Odemwingie said out of the estimated 300,000 Federal Government contractors, consultants and service providers, only 4,674 companies had registered so far with the bureau.

“The repercussion for not registering on the database of the BPP is that such contractor; consultant and service provider will not be able to participate in subsequent Federal Government procurement.

“A circular has already been issued by the SGF to all procuring entity of Federal Government to include evidence of registration on the national database as a requirement in all procurement solicitations.

According to Odemwingie, the bureau encourages all contractors that want to continue doing business with government to register.

“There is no immediate deadline for registration.”

(NAN)