PS-DBM makes first procurement through gov’t e-market

The Procurement Service of the Department of Budget and Management (PS-DBM) has made its first transactions through its online platform for procurement of government supplies and equipment.

In a statement on Wednesday, the DBM said its attached agency made a “major milestone” this week following the turnover of procured vehicle units to agencies that used the PS-DBM e-marketplace.

Four motor vehicles worth P7.6 million were handed over to the Insurance Commission (IC) in Paco, Manila, on February 17.

The following day, the National Tax Research Center (NTRC) received its order of two motor vehicles valued at P3.3 million.

“Everything about the e-marketplace, from its development to its implementation, is designed to be quick and easy. We launched it in December last year, and now, two agencies have already benefited from faster, more efficient, and seamless procurement. ‘Add to cart’ has officially been activated for government procurement,” said Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman.

In July 2024, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. inked Republic Act 12009 or the New Government Procurement Act (NGPA), which amended the 20-year-old Government Procurement Reform Act.

Among the new law's salient features is the use of alternative modes of procurement, such as the creation of an "e-marketplace" for the government's purchase of common-use supplies and equipment (CSE) through the PS-DBM.

Common-use supplies and equipment include motor vehicles, airline tickets, cloud computing services, and software licenses, among others.

“The e-marketplace is just one milestone in our digital transformation journey. We assure you that PS-DBM is committed to continuously institutionalizing public procurement reforms to achieve our Agenda for Prosperity,” said Pangandaman.

The DBM said that since the e-marketplace has been operational, it has allowed government agencies to begin ordering motor vehicles as part of its pilot program for common-use supplies and equipment. — VBL, GMA Integrated News