Liberia: Overview of public procurement

Abstract

Query Could you please provide an overview on public procurement in Liberia: Which measures to mitigate corruption risks have been provided by law and to which extent are they being implemented, especially in the construction sector? How effectively does the PPCC oversee procurement practices? What is the role of civil society in this regard and who are the important actors? Summary Since the end of the civil war, Liberia has taken important steps to reform its procurement system. Nowadays, the country can count on a robust legal framework on public procurement. There are however serious implementation challenges due to a severe lack of professional workforce and infrastructure in both the public and the private sector. The Liberian government is already addressing these issues through basic and advanced staff training in procurement, but despite the steps taken in sensitising and training public procurement practitioners and the progress made, there is still a long list of issues that needs to be addressed in order to guarantee an efficient and transparent procurement process: access to information, whistleblower protection, capacity building in the public and private sector and prevention of conflict of interest among others. The role of civil society and the public in public procurement should also be strengthened. Civil society can play an important role providing additional oversight and monitoring, but the government of Liberia has not taken full advantage of this possibility