PPRA Clarifies New Procurement Rules
ISLAMABAD, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 30th Sep, 2026)
Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA) has issued a clarification regarding recent media reports on the new Public Procurement Rules, 2026, stating that these reports have created a misleading impression about the rules' purpose and provisions.
The PPRA emphasizes that the rules were revised as part of the government's economic governance reforms, with a goal to transform Pakistan’s procurement system aligning it with international standards of transparency, accountability, and efficiency.
Key changes introduced by the new rules include:
- Mandatory use of e-Pak Acquisition and Disposal System (EPADS) for all federal procurements.
- Dedicated procurement cells and third-party oversight for large procurements.
- Stronger enforcement measures, including blacklisting, cross-debarment, and declaration of misprocurement with disciplinary consequences.
- Independent grievance redressal committees with appellate review to ensure fairness and accountability.
Clarifying the procurement process, PPRA explains:
- Open Competitive Bidding (OCB) is the primary method. Rule 15(4) requires procuring agencies to provide justification if deviating from OCB.
- Direct contracting with state-owned entities (SOEs) is allowed only in exceptional circumstances and does not provide any preference. It is restricted to time-sensitive, scattered, or remotely located works and services in the public interest, subject to specific conditions.
- EPADS use is mandatory for all procurements, including direct contracting. Where multiple organizations are eligible, limited tendering with price reasonableness checks is required.
- Heads of procuring agencies must submit an undertaking on EPADS confirming compliance with prescribed conditions.
The authority highlights increased transparency and disclosure through:
- Mandatory publication of annual procurement plans and evaluation results on EPADS and relevant procuring agencies' websites.
- Public disclosure of procurement documents related to evaluation and contract award through EPADS post-award.
- Retention of complete procurement records as per Rule 56.
These measures, according to PPRA, establish a framework for transparency, public disclosure, traceability, and record retention throughout the procurement process.