STATE ENTERPRISES’ INVESTMENT PROGRAMME 2014
6
SUSTAINING GROWTH, SECURING PROSPERITY
As part of the reform of the public procurement
regime, government embarked on the e-Auction
initiative to foster greater transparency,
accountability and value for money in the State
Enterprise Sector. Since its inception, this tool
has been used in a number of State Enterprises
resulting in a reduction in cycle time and cost in
the procurement of goods and services.
E-Auctions contributed to savings across thirty-
two (32) State Agencies and a reduction in time
taken to invite and receive bids by approximately
sixty percent. These Agencies have also
benefitted from economies of scale through
collaborative events held for common items such
as paper, computers and personal protective
equipment. Moreover, government continues to
expand the e-Auction initiative within the State
Sector and increase the range of goods and
services procured.
In August 2011, a Public Private Partnership
(PPP) Unit was established in the Ministry
of Finance and the Economy – Investments
Division. This Unit currently has responsibility
for regulating the programme, disseminating
the Cabinet approved policy, contributing to
the development of projects and becoming a
repository of skills and knowledge in PPP.
This Unit will facilitate the development of a
framework to support public procurement
utilizing the PPP methodology for the
procurement and delivery of sustainable and
high quality infrastructure projects. In addition,
the Unit has secured consultancy services to
develop an organizational and institutional
model/operational guideline to support PPP
investments.
The PPP Unit has developed a pipeline of over
ninety (90) potential projects from various
sectors. This project pipeline was subdivided
into:
•
Category A
– projects that are highly doable
as PPPs; and
•
Category B
– projects that were screened
and assessed for viability prior to developing
for the PPP programme.
As part of the Technical Cooperation Agreement
with the Inter-American Development Bank
(IDB), the PPP Unit has commenced two (2) pilot
projects which reside within two (2) Government
Ministries:
• The proposedNational DiagnosticCentres for
Imaging and Laboratory/Pathology Services
in the Ministry of Health; and
• Ten (10) Primary Schools/Early Child Care
and Education (ECCE) Centres in the Ministry
of Education.
Sixteen (16) other Category A projects
have received the approval of Cabinet for
implementation. These projects emanated from
the Ministry of Transport, Ministry of Works
and Infrastructure, Ministry of Finance and the
Economy, Ministry of Tourism and the Ministry of
Local Government.
Further, the PPP Unit is reviewing the draft
operational guidelines developed to underpin the
National PPP Policy. This document will serve as
a guide in the development and implementation
of PPP projects in Trinidad and Tobago. Under the
current procurement landscape in Trinidad and
Tobago, State Enterprises would be afforded key
roles in the procurement of PPP projects.
INTRODUCTION
