The PPP Center extends technical assistance to national and local implementing agencies such as national government agencies, GOCCs, LGUs, water districts, SUCs, among others) in the preparation, packaging, structuring, approval, and bidding of their projects with the private sector participation. Specifically, these cover the following:
- Conduct preliminary assessment of the project’s viability for PPP implementation;
- Conduct review of project concepts and proposals to be presented and discussed with the concerned IAs/LGUs;
- Provide assistance in the actual conduct of bidding (i.e. pre-qualification processes, evaluation of bids, contract review. etc);
- Identifies/provides solutions to various technical, financial, legal and contractual issues/problems related to project development, approvals and implementation, and;
- Review and finalization of draft contracts and other bidding documents (RFP, Instructions to Bidders, etc)
After an implementing agency (IA) obtains approval of its proposed PPP project from the Approving Body, the project enters the procurement stage of the PPP process. The key objectives of the IA at this stage of the PPP process are to ensure:
- Adherence to the principles of transparency and equal treatment of bidders to bolster the professionalism and legitimacy of the process;
- Adequate competitive tension between bidders so as to arrive at the best bid from the most competent bidder;
- Minimize cost and delays without sacrificing the rigor or quality of the process; and
- Selection of a bid.
At this stage, the level of interaction between the IA and the private sector increases dramatically with detailed information about the project given to potential bidders and in the process, information on potential bidders is revealed as well. This leads to an important task of managing the flow of information between the IA and interested private sector bidders to ensure transparency and adequate competitive tension in the procurement process.
General PPP Procurement Process for Solicited Proposals
There are two options for undertaking the procurement of solicited proposals. The first option (a two-stage procurement process) requires a pre-qualification process before the issuance of the request for proposals. The second option is an abbreviated (single-stage) process wherein the IA may opt to do a simultaneous qualification/request for proposals instead of undertaking a pre-qualification process. Under the simultaneous qualification process, the bidders are asked to submit their qualification requirements along with their bid proposals on the financial and technical aspects of the project.
