Public procurement is the procedure through which public bodies such as government ministries, parastatals and local authorities acquire goods and services and construct or acquire buildings and other infrastructure. It usually entails tendering, calling for bids from suppliers and accepting the most favourable bid. In Zimbabwe public procurement is govemcd by the Procurement Act [Chapter 22:14] under which a body called the State Procurement Board conducts procurement on behalf of government entities.

This Bill will repeal the Procurement Act and abolish the State Procurement Board. In place of the Board it will set up a new body to he called the Procurement Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe which will not conduct procurement proceedings itself but instead will oversee and regulate procurement activities conducted by government Ministries, statutory bodies (parastatals) and local authorities. These bodies are called "procuring entities''. The Bill will also set out the procedures to he followed and the steps to be taken in procurement proceedings to ensure fairness. transparency and honesty.

Note by Veritas: This Bill was gazetted on 28th October 2016