PPDA releases price list for common user items

By Billy Rwothungeyo

The Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets Authority (PPDA) has released the latest list of average prices for items commonly procured by public entities.

PPDA carried out a market survey to come up with the list. The prices quoted therein are from selected providers and public procuring and disposing entities.

The list was authenticated and endorsed by the coordinator and supervisor of the national statistical system, the Uganda Bureau of Statistics.

The move is aimed at helping entities achieve value for money during the budgeting process by benchmarking quoted prices against market prices before contracts are signed.

However, PPDA encourages accounting officers to go out of their way and make their own market intelligence, especially in their localities to avoid instances when providers over price their goods or services to get astronomical profits.

The list is not exhaustive as it only contains the major items for services and supplies.

Common user items and their prices that feature on the list are cleaning services, computers, courier services, electrical equipment, fuel and lubricants, hotel and conference facilities, insurance services, motor vehicles, office supplies, security and guarding services.

The PPDA Regulations 2003 mandates the authority to publish a list of common user items to guide entities on the procurement of items in common use.

Fixed contract price dilemma

Much as the ultimate goal of the prices attached to user items is to further value for money in public procurement, there are still challenges when it comes to uncertain economic changes that affect the implementation of some contractual provisions, for example increasing price changes against fixed price contracts.

“We had this (problem) last year when there was high inflation. If you have entered into a contract with an entity at a fixed price to supply paper, then all of a sudden, prices escalate by three times, what happens?” asked Milton Tumutegyereize, the director of training and capacity building at PPDA at a recent economic forum.