National Treasury’s Central Supplier Database (CSD) has passed the 150 000 mark, the department said on Tuesday. By Agency Staff
Launched in September last year, the CSD was introduced to simplify the process of doing business with government, as well as making the procurement processes fair, equitable, transparent and competitive.
The system also reduces the carbon footprint for both government and the private sector by moving away from paper by enabling an electronic registration and verification process.
“It also brings about significant cost savings in terms of reduced paper use and less time spent on the procurement process. Suppliers save time as they no longer have to physically deliver documentation as all the relevant information is captured centrally on the CSD,” it said.
Government procurement practitioners also save time in that they can find suppliers in one easily accessible source.
“All organs of state will be required to use suppliers registered on the database. Suppliers therefore only have to register on this singular platform, rather than registering with each organ of state individually,” Treasury said.
The CSD also interfaces with other government systems such as the South African Revenue Service (SARS), the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC), the Department of Home Affairs, National Treasury Tender defaulters to verify supplier information and check compliance.
This process provides a quick and easily-accessible snapshot of supplier records to government procurement practitioners, to see if a supplier qualifies to do business with government.
Treasury said modernising and streamlining procurement processes through the use of technology is one of the mechanisms that will enable government to realise value for money and save R25 billion a year in costs.
“Over the next three years, the public sector will spend approximately R1.5 trillion on goods and services. Centralising supplier records on an online platform will enhance administrative efficiencies.”
Municipalities are scheduled to implement the central supplier database from July 1.
Government has also introduced other measures to modernise procurement systems.
These include the eTender publication portal (www.etenders.gov.za) an online platform through which suppliers can access government tenders free of charge.
Once completely rolled out, tender advertisements in newspapers and government gazettes will be phased out, saving government an estimated R700 million in advertising costs annually. – SAnews.gov.za
