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ISLAMABAD, Oct 14 (APP): Aligned with the Prime Minister’s vision for transparency, efficiency, and good governance, the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA), under the leadership of Managing Director Hasnat Ahmed Qureshi, has transformed the country’s public procurement landscape by implementing an e-procurement system, introducing regulatory reforms, and launching a robust capacity-building program for procurement professionals.
In a media briefing here, Qureshi highlighted the global significance of procurement reform, noting that public procurement accounts for 15–20% of GDP in developing countries, with global procurement valued at approximately $13 trillion.
“Manual procurement systems are prone to inefficiencies and leakages, whereas e-Procurement offers savings of up to 25%, as reported by the Asian Development Bank and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development”, he added.
At the heart of PPRA’s digital transformation is the implementation of the e-Pakistan Acquisition and Disposal System (EPADS), a fully digitized platform that offers free supplier registration, real-time alerts, customized bidding documents, dynamic bid evaluation, and end-to-end digitization of procurement processes.
“Since its launch in March 2023, EPADS has been rolled out across 9,314 federal and provincial procuring agencies, including key ministries and departments,” Qureshi informed.
PPRA has signed memorandum of understandings (MoUs) with Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Azad Jammu & Kashmir, and federal entities such as NADRA, Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), and the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) to enable real-time data integration and regulatory compliance.
“To date, 39,553 suppliers, including 527 foreign firms, 1,792 women-led enterprises, and 4,044 small and medium enterprises have registered on EPADS,” stated Hasnat Qureshi. “To assist users, we have activated a dedicated Help Desk and YouTube support channel to provide guidance and resolve technical issues.”
Qureshi informed the media that PPRA has finalized amendments to the PPRA Ordinance, while the approval process for the Public Procurement Rules 2025 is now in its final stage.
“The new rules will feature an independent grievance redressal mechanism, gallop tendering, reduced response times, expert accreditation, third-party evaluation, and clearly defined roles for procuring agencies,” Qureshi said.
Procurement cells staffed with trained professionals are being established in federal government procuring agencies to oversee planning, market analysis, bid preparation, and contract management, he added.
While underscoring the importance of capacity building, the MD highlighted that PPRA’s Capacity Building Wing organized 46 nationwide training sessions last year, training 1,734 participants.
These sessions focused on public procurement rules and hands-on training in EPADS. The program included two-day sessions on procurement rules and regulations for 470 officials, customized training for 550 government employees, and e-disposal training for 26 officials.
A three-day customized training on EPADS and Public Procurement Rules certified 186 officials, a five-day EPADS Master Trainers Program certified 248 professionals, while 104 officials and vendors completed a one-week certificate course at LUMS, IBA, and NUST.
Additionally, 148 officials graduated from a four-month weekend diploma in Public Procurement and Contract Management at NUST.
Qureshi informed that PPRA was also partnering with the World Bank, International Training Centre of the International Labour Organization (ITC-ILO), Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply (CIPS), Asian Development Bank (ADB), and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to develop standardized training modules, a competency framework, an online academy, and to ensure training for PPRA officials as well as procuring agencies across all tiers of government.
“Institutional partnerships have been strengthened through MoUs with the Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP), National Accountability Bureau (NAB), and Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP), enabling coordinated oversight, regulatory alignment, and enhanced compliance across the public procurement ecosystem,” PPRA MD stated. PPRA plans to deploy AI and Business Intelligence tools for data analysis, strengthen monitoring mechanisms, and complete the nationwide rollout of EPADS, Qureshi said, adding that challenges related to change management and capacity building will be addressed to ensure seamless implementation.
PPRA remains committed to transparency, efficiency, and innovation in public procurement, ensuring that every rupee spent delivers value to the people of Pakistan.