APPLE-C, البنية التحتية, الملخص الاقتصادي

Unveiling Corruption: LIMS Exposes Challenges and Imperatives in Lebanon’s Public Procurement Landscape

12:21 | 31 آذار 2024LIMS output
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corruption

LIMS unveiled two policy briefs under its APPLE C initiative (Apply Public Procurement Law to End Corruption), shedding light on the challenges confronting Lebanon’s new public procurement law (Law 224/2021).

The first brief underscores the law’s primary objective of promoting competition and transparency to safeguard the integrity of public contracts through the pivotal role of the Public Procurement Authority (PPA). Central to this is the mandate for the PPA to disseminate procurement information via its central e-platform, yet this mandate is hamstrung by the PPA’s current scarcity of resources. With a limited staff of merely 7 personnel and a pending internal regulatory framework, the PPA is unable to materialize this pivotal task, resulting in restricted access to data for prospective bidders, thereby stifling competition and fostering an environment ripe for favoritism.

Conversely, certain provisions within the law introduce cumbersome administrative procedures, notably the establishment of an “Appeals Board.” This redundancy clashes with the State Council’s jurisdiction, engendering discord, incongruences, and procedural bottlenecks. Furthermore, the absence of clear definitions and penalties for flouting competitive procedures and engaging in conflict-of-interest nurtures a culture of impunity, amplifying the specter of corruption within public procurement processes.

The second brief underscores the government’s persistent transgressions against the Public Procurement Law, circumventing competitive processes in favor of preferential mutual consent contracts, a practice inherently conducive to corruption. LIMS elucidates instances where ministries eschew competitive mechanisms, contravening the foundational principles of transparency and fair competition. The document underscores the imperative of upholding competitive tenets enshrined within the law to realize optimal value in public procurement contracts.

  • LIMS Exclusive: Weakening The Public Procurement Authority And Its Supervisory Role, March 18, 2024: Limslb, Article AR
  • LIMS Exclusive: Expanding Competition In Public Contracts Combats The Scourge Of Corruption And Ensures Voluntary Compliance, March 29, 2024: Limslb, Article AR