Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets Act

he Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets Act (PPDPA) establishes a modern, transparent, and competitive legal framework for all public procurement (purchasing of goods, works, and services) and the disposal of public assets. The Act created the Procurement Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (PRAZ) and applies to all procuring entities, including local authorities.

Key provisions include:

• Procurement Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (PRAZ) – Establishes PRAZ as the central regulatory body responsible for issuing procurement guidelines, monitoring compliance, conducting investigations, and building procurement capacity across the public sector.

• Procurement principles – Mandates that all public procurement adhere to the core principles of transparency, fairness, competition, cost-effectiveness, and integrity. Prohibits conflicts of interest, bid rigging, and corruption.

• Procurement methods – Prescribes various procurement methods depending on the value and complexity of the purchase, including competitive bidding (open tendering), restricted tendering, request for proposals (for consulting services), and direct procurement (only under exceptional, justified circumstances).

• Procurement planning – Requires each procuring entity to prepare an annual procurement plan linked to its approved budget. Prohibits procurement without prior planning and budget cover.

• Bidding process – Specifies requirements for tender documentation, public advertisement, bid submission, evaluation criteria, and award notifications. Mandates that all evaluation decisions be documented and justified.

• Asset disposal – Sets out mandatory procedures for the sale, lease, or other disposal of public assets, including valuation requirements, advertising for offers, and approval thresholds.

• Review and remedies – Establishes a review mechanism (the Procurement Regulatory Authority and, on further appeal, the Administrative Court) for bidders who believe procurement rules were breached. Allows for suspension of awards, cancellation of contracts, and compensation orders.

• Offences and penalties – Creates criminal offences for bid manipulation, bribery, fraudulent claims, and interference with procurement processes. Prescribes significant fines, imprisonment, and debarment from future contracting.

For your local authority, the PPDPA means that every purchase of goods, every contract for works (e.g., road repairs, building construction), and every disposal of old council assets (e.g., used vehicles, equipment) must follow strict, transparent procedures. Compliance ensures value for money and protects the authority from corruption allegations.

• Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets Act pdf (654kb) [ download ]