Buy Zimbabwe to host public procurement indaba
Business Reporter
BUY Zimbabwe, a lobby group that advocates for the consumption of local goods and services, will convene the Public Procurement Conference and Awards ceremony later this month.
The indaba, scheduled for August 20 at the Golden Conifer in Harare, will run under the theme, “Anchoring Zimbabwe’s economic growth on public procurement.”
The conference seeks to spotlight public procurement as a pivotal engine for job creation, wealth generation and national pride.
“With this year’s theme, we underscore the key role of public procurement in driving growth through promoting local content, creating jobs, wealth and pride for Zimbabweans,” said Buy Zimbabwe in a press release.
The organisation’s overarching objective is to advance and share knowledge and best practices in public procurement, ensuring participants leave with actionable insights.
The one-day event will bring together high-level public procurement practitioners, subject-matter experts and procuring entities. Delegates will engage in panel discussions, interactive workshops and networking sessions designed to foster collaboration between public and private sector buyers.
“The annual conference will provide privileged networking opportunities with high-level public procurement practitioners and experts, together with local procuring entities,” the statement read.
Concurrently, the public procurement awards will celebrate exemplary efforts by public and private buyers who have championed innovative procurement practices.
“The awards recognise the efforts of public and private buyers to promote and implement innovation procurement by supporting the local industry through procurement from local companies,” noted Buy Zimbabwe.
A highlight of this year’s conference is the unveiling of a commissioned study by select Research, which sought to assess the levels of local procurement by public entities and their multiplier effect.
“This reflects Buy Zimbabwe’s focus towards data-driven outcomes to promote competitiveness and market access for local companies,” the press statement said.
In partnership with the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, Buy Zimbabwe is also developing a real-time online portal. The platform will facilitate member registration for tenders, curate relevant opportunities, and index procuring entities based on their support for local procurement.
“Suppliers will be recognised for their levels of local content,” the statement added, emphasising that the portal will serve as a “one-stop shop for content rating and certification.”
Through the new portal, Buy Zimbabwe will launch the Public Procurement Index, which will track procurement trends by sector, location and ministry. The Index aims to enhance transparency and competitiveness, incentivise compliance with PRAZ regulations, and underpin advocacy for greater public procurement shares for local firms.
“Data from the index will be used to advocate for a greater share of public procurement for local firms and lobbying for enforcement of laws that promote preferential treatment for local products,” the organisation said.
“Buy Zimbabwe stands at the forefront of a national agenda to promote local content, offering a comprehensive suite of tools and interventions designed to elevate local industry, support domestic producers, and foster a culture of preferential local consumption”.
Buy Zimbabwe said it remains firmly committed to the production, consumption and procurement of local content and will persist in its efforts to expand market access for Zimbabwean products.
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