The Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets Authority (PPDA) has organised a business expo through which it intends to support local enterprises grow.
Dubbed the ‘PPDA Business Exposition 2022’, the expo is aimed at contributing to economic growth and connecting businesses to effective procurement systems.
The two-day expo will take place at Kololo ceremonial grounds in Kampala from July 8 to July 10.
The PDDA executive director, Benson Turamye, said; “the expo will provide companies with a unique platform to network with various stakeholders while assisting providers to tap into opportunities that public procurement offers to accelerate recovery from the socio-economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.”
Turamye said in a statement that the expo’s goal is to enhance stakeholders’ understanding of the public procurement and disposal processes and systems.
According to PDDA, the government of Uganda annually spends up to 60% of its budget on public procurement of a vast range of goods, services and works.
“This makes the expo the ultimate place for any provider looking for new business opportunities. It will also serve as an opportunity for government agencies to showcase their achievements and accountability to the citizens,” Turamye pointed out.
The expo will culminate in an awards gala on July 10, where awards will be given out to recognize different categories of stakeholders who have excelled in executing public procurement and disposal functions for national development, both in the public and private sectors.
“The expo will also offer an opportunity to providers and other stakeholders a chance to engage with key personnel and organisations that contribute to public procurement. Most of the public procurement officers will be at the venue to network and engage with suppliers,” Turamye stated.
During the expo, PPDA will also train stakeholders on electronic government procurement (e-GP), as well as conduct free skills development sessions under different categories.
The expo will also be a one-stop business centre where members of the public will access services from different government agencies.
“The suppliers/providers who have not registered for e-GP will be registered and trained for free, and a PPDA certificate will be accessed in one day during the expo,” Turamye revealed.
He called upon all registered service providers and accounting officers of government ministries, departments, agencies, and local governments to participate in the expo.
