Dotoma. Deputy Prime Minister Toto Bideko said on Wednesday, February 7, 2024, that one of the surest ways to build an inclusive national economy is for Tanzanian companies to issue tenders to qualified local businesses, especially small ones.
Speaking at the signing ceremony of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the National Economic Empowerment Council (NEEC) and the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA), Dr.
He encouraged them to actively apply for tenders offered by government and public institutions.
However, he insisted that the tender should be awarded on merit.
The MoU signed on Wednesday was created under the Public Procurement Act of 2023.
Section 64 of the Act invites companies to award tenders, giving priority to local companies.
According to Dr Bideko, the rationale behind this MoU is to expand and empower Tanzanians' economy by increasing the participation of local enterprises, especially small scale entrepreneurs, in the national tender process.
„What we are doing today is to reach out to the special groups of youth, women, elderly and people with special needs and make them active participants in the national economy,” he said.
He called on the NEEC and PPRA to award companies that are exemplary in implementing the national strategy.
Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office [Policy, Coordination and Parliamentary Affairs]Ms Jenista Mahagama said the protocol signed yesterday is a clear testament to President Hassan's commitment to ensure that all sections of society contribute meaningfully and benefit from the national economy.
Finance Minister Dr. Mvikulu Nsemba said that the deficiencies noted through the MoU have been rectified. He said the protocol would be implemented without delay.
The NEEC Executive Secretary, Mrs. Bengi Isa, said Wednesday's MoU was the second between the two institutions.
The first was signed in 2017. It was due to expire in 2020, but both companies agreed to sign another one.