To speed up the process of implementing the approved Sagada Coffee Processing with Cupping Laboratory enterprise subproject  funded under the Department of Agriculture’s Philippine Rural Development Project (DA-PRDP), the Community Force Account (CFA) mode of procurement was introduced as the mode to be used in purchasing goods during an orientation activity held in Sagada, Mountain Province recently.

This orientation was conducted to update the Provincial Project Management and Implementing Unit (PPMIU) of Mt. Province and concerned Provincial Local Government Unit (LGU) together with the officials of the Sagada Arabica Coffee Growers and Processors Organization (SACGPO) on the mechanics of this mode of procurement.

According to Lorna Panyo, PRDP enterprise consultant, the CFA method of procurement may be used for goods and works for whatever subproject approved by the DA-PRDP that are estimated to cost US$20,000.00 or less per contract.  This modality gives the proponent group (PG) the responsibility to manage the procurement of goods, works and services depending on the established procurement capacity of the PG.

“Main purchases made under this mode of procurement consists of construction materials for works, equipment and supplies indicated in the subproject,” Panyo added.

The guidelines on procurement under the PRDP requires that the PG must have formed a bidding/procurement committee whose members are equipped with experience and knowledge on procurement or purchasing, and should have attended the procurement training under the PRDP, thus, this activity.

The orientation also included other topics such as the Legal Basis for World Bank Procurement Guidelines, Orientation on the harmonized Philippine Bidding Documents, Procurement Timeline, Bid evaluation report, Electronics uploading of bidding documents and PhilGeps posting and publication to local newspapers as added information.

Fuller Sabino, Financial Analyst of the Regional Project Coordination Office-CAR (RPCO-CAR) delivered the topic on Enterprise Development and presented the financial liquidation and requirements in releasing of funds for recall and appreciation.

Meanwhile, Harold Bagawi, Project Developent Associate (PDA), facilitated the election of Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) members of the SACGPO to make them eligible PGs.

The activity also allowed for the crafting of a procurement guideline based from the allotted days given in each procurement milestone for the SACGPO to refer to.

Christian Aries Salgado, PDA of RPCO-CAR, said that the same activity shall be conducted sometime in the near future for other provinces.

“It is the dream of the project to provide the rural farmers an expanded opportunity in their community through subprojects that provides a faster and more innovative government procurement system,” said Salgado. (Mabel Zabala, RPCO-CAR InfoACE)