BYO companies fail to meet tender requirements: Minister

Ncube said it would be helpful if tenders were advertised for the right to participate.

Several companies in Bulawayo are facing issues in sourcing tenders from both the public and private sectors, the minister said, making it urgent for them to obtain guidance on their tendering processes.

Even though companies have the necessary skills and resources to meet their contractual obligations, they still struggle to navigate complex tender requirements and bidding processes.

As a result, they are missing out on valuable opportunities that could fuel the region’s growth and development.

Bulawayo Provincial Affairs and Decentralisation Minister Judith Ncube recently appealed to the local Council of Churches of Africa (CCA) community to contact the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (Praz) after noticing that some companies were failing to secure tenders due to non-compliance with the requirements.

“People usually complain that they are not getting tenders but I found that most of them are not registered. If you want to qualify, you have to register with Praz to get a number,” Ncube said.

“Then they will tell you what to do next, but then our people here, someone would say I am registered and I have a company, but in addition to being registered as a limited liability company or something like that, I also have to register the company in Praz to get a number.”

Ncube said it would be helpful if tenders were advertised for the right to participate.

“I heard a lot of people complaining that they were not being considered. So I decided to inform people at the CCA event that they should go and get a good explanation or even go to the post office in Nkulumane and register for Praz,” she said.

Ncube said that once the tender is announced, entities should submit bids like anyone else if they meet all the requirements.

“Even if they come to our offices, they say they are not considered, external companies come and win tenders. I recently contacted one where they said they saw a tender for a fence.

“They wondered if there was a company in Bulawayo that could do the fencing, so I called them to ask for help.

“The manager was very honest with me and told me that they had received less than three applications from Bulawayo and that they had not passed the first stage because they had not completed the registration.”

She added that they agreed to engage Praz to educate representatives from various sectors so that they understand what is needed.

Meanwhile, CCA leader, Bishop Rocky Moyo commended Ncube for appreciating the role that churches and faith-based organisations play in the socio-economic development of our communities.

“The proposal for CCA to register with Praz is timely and could indeed open up the possibility for our member churches to participate more actively in government tenders,” he said.

“By working with Praz, we not only want to secure tenders, but also ensure that our churches can contribute to the development of the country by providing services and creating employment opportunities.”

Moyo found that member churches have the capacity and resources to meet the demands of various projects and are able to deliver services effectively and efficiently.

“However, we must emphasise how important it is to maintain transparency and fairness throughout the tender process.

“It is important that all tenders are awarded on the basis of merit, opportunity and compliance with legal requirements to ensure that resources are used efficiently for the benefit of all citizens.

“We are committed to working closely with Praz and other relevant authorities to ensure that our participation will benefit not only our churches but also the wider community.”

In 2018, businesses in Bulawayo accused the city council of deliberately awarding tenders to Harare-based companies.

In response, Bulawayo City Clerk Christopher Dube said local entrepreneurs were unable to submit competitive bids, which prevented them from winning the tender.

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