Department of Education (DepEd) Sec. Sonny Angara signed a memorandum order that greenlights early procurement activities (EPA) across the agency.
The signing of Memorandum Order No. 49, series of 2024, came after Angara promised to lawmakers that DepEd will make every effort to improve, and accelerate the pace of the procurement process.
DepEd said that the EPA seeks to 'fast-track the procurement of goods and services, including textbooks, learning tools, and infrastructure projects, for Fiscal Year 2025'.
"EPA allows DepEd’s procurement entities to initiate activities early, ensuring contracts for goods, infrastructure projects, and consulting services are awarded ahead of the following fiscal year," DepEd said in a statement.
"This process covers all procurement stages— from posting opportunities to the recommendation of the Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) to the Head of Procuring Entities (HoPE)—pending budget approval," the agency added.
DepEd said that the EPA 'applies to procurement projects via Competitive Bidding and Alternative Methods, excluding certain exceptions such as repeat orders, emergency cases, and small-value procurements'.
The agency added that all DepEd governance levels will engage in EPA.
"At the Central Office, this will focus on high-priority projects, including textbooks, e-Learning Cart packages, testing materials, and learning tools and equipment," DepEd explained.
"Regional and Schools Division Offices (ROs and SDOs) will also conduct EPA for their respective projects, including those overseen by the Central Office such as smart-TV packages, laptops, school furniture, electrification projects, school health facilities, and the construction of last-mile school buildings," the agency mentioned.
DepEd plans to begin the bidding process on October 2024, and scheduled the awarding of contracts, as well as the issuance of Notices to Proceed, by January 2025.
