The national, cluster, and regional Procurement Units of the Philippine Rural Development Project (PRDP) gathered the Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) and Accounting and Finance Divisions of proponent local government units (LGUs), and the farmer proponent groups in Ilocos Region for an orientation-briefing on the Procurement of Goods through Community Participation for enterprise (I-REAP) subprojects at Fiesta Garden Hotel, Bantay, Ilocos Sur on February 13-15, 2018.

During the World Bank Mid-Term Review Mission, the Procurement Unit was recommended to use other methods, aside from National Competitive Bidding and Shopping, to purchase goods of enterprise subprojects. Other Bank-permissible methods of procurement include Community Participation and Direct Contracting.

In Community Participation, farmer proponent groups will handle the purchasing of goods and services as specified in the business plan. The fund will be transferred from the proponent local government unit to the proponent group, given that the latter meets the following qualifications: approved, signed and notarized Enterprise Investment Agreement, approved Work and Financial Plan and Procurement Plan, proof of the 20% cash or in-kind counterpart, and must have undergone training on CFA with the Procurement Unit of the PRDP.

Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) members and accountants from the provinces of Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, and Pangasinan and from the Cities of Urdaneta and Alaminos in Pangasinan attended the first CFA training. They were joined by the representatives of the Proponent Groups of Pasuquin Farmers Garlic-Onion Growers Association from Pasuquin, Ilocos Norte; Nansuagao Agrarian Reform Cooperative from Caoayan, Ilocos Sur; Kailian Multi-Purpose Cooperative from Lidlidda, Ilocos Sur; San Fermin ARB Multi-Purpose Cooperative in Caba, La Union; Alcala Onion Growers Multi-Purpose Cooperative from Alcala, Pangasinan; Tugui Grande Farm Produce Farmers’ Association from Bani, Pangasinan; Hundred Island Farmpreneurs Association from Alaminos City, Pangasinan; and the Urdaneta City Organic Farming Rice Corn Vegetable Growers association, Inc. from Urdaneta City, Pangasinan.

All the proposals of the proponent groups who joined the CFA training are under procurement. Through the CFA, the PRDP expects to see a faster procurement process and capacitated farmer proponent groups. ### Vida V. Cacal and Dessa U. Estrada, RPCO 1 InfoACE