February 7, 2012

The Department of Health (DOH) and the Public-Private Partnership Center prompted international consulting group Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu India Private Limited to adopt a new strategy, “parallel tracking” for early completion of required studies on the modernization of the Philippine Orthopedic Center (POC) under public-private partnership (PPP).

Initiated by the PPP Center, parallel tracking spurs consultants and implementing agencies to immediately take up tasks that are not highly dependent on outcomes of previous items in time-work plans.

It is one of management practices taken up by the PPP Center to help PPP implementing agencies, including local government units, fast-track projects for infrastructure development and delivery of services.

In the first working meeting with Deloitte last Tuesday (January17), PPP Center Executive Director Cosette V. Canilao said the practice saves time and enables both parties to think up solutions to foreseen challenges on the completion of required pre-investment studies. “Aside from applying the sequential method of finishing tasks, we have to also employ parallel tracking,” Canilao said.

DOH Undersecretary Dr. Teodoro J. Herbosa, who heads the DOH Public-Private Partnership Management Office (PPPMO), also urged the Deloitte team to explore the available and viable PPP modes to best achieve the DOH’s goals in presenting quality hospital services while guaranteeing best practices in governance and risk management.

Deloitte in India, in partnership with Puyat, Jacinto & Santos Law Office, was awarded by the Department of Health the contract to undertake pre-investment studies on the POC project using the Project Development and Monitoring Facility (PDMF) managed by the PPP Center. The PDMF is a pool of funds from the government and development partners such as the Asian Development Bank, the Australia Agency for International Development and Canada International Development Agency that finances pre-investment studies targeting PPP.

Deloitte in India is one of nine firms pre-qualified by the PPP Center for pre-investment consultancy services, using international standards, including those of development partners.

Deloitte Director Pranavant, team head, said his team of experts is more than ready to go with the government’s fast-tracked schedule of deliverables. He pointed out that they confidently view a project as accomplished within reasonable time when the client itself declares it would provide the best possible coordination and focus on the tasks at hand.