MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) has released revised guidelines for the pilot launch of the government’s electronic marketplace, a digital platform that will facilitate faster procurement of common-used supplies and equipment by government agencies.
Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman said she approved the proposed guidelines for the pilot implementation of the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System (PhilGEPS)’s electronic marketplace.
“With the release of the new guidelines, we will continue with the trial phase of our eMarketplace. We are happy with the progress of our digitalization efforts for our procurement systems,” Pangandaman said.
According to the DBM, the updated guidelines introduce specific changes to ensure a successful pilot and eventual rollout of the eMarketplace nationwide.
The pilot phase will initially cover selected common-use supplies and equipment (CSE), including motor vehicles, airline tickets, cloud computing services as well as software licenses. This approach aims to evaluate the system in a controlled and measurable setting.
Each CSE item will undergo thorough validation by the Procurement Service (PS)-DBM to confirm compliance with technical requirements and readiness for inclusion in the platform.
The guidelines were formulated through extensive consultations with government agencies. Stakeholder feedback was carefully incorporated to align the eMarketplace’s features with practical user needs.
Several government agencies took part in reviewing and revising the guidelines, including the National Economic and Development Authority, the Department of Education, Department of National Defense, Department of Interior and Local Government, Department of Public Works and Highways, Department of Transportation, Procurement Service of the DBM as well as representatives from the private sector.
The rules also allow procuring entities to source CSEs from alternative suppliers under specific conditions, such as stock shortages or when other options are deemed more efficient, practical or cost-effective.
To simplify the procurement process, the eMarketplace will utilize electronic signatures and payments, with an automated system to handle procurement requests. This reduces paperwork and minimizes delays.
To support smooth adoption, the PS-DBM will offer comprehensive training modules and support systems, equipping users with the necessary skills to navigate the platform effectively.