Training on Procurement Procedures for Officers in Public Service

Parliamentary Question by Ms Hazel Poa:

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance (a) whether the Government currently conducts a standardised training on procurement procedures for all officers across the Public Service; (b) if not, why not; (c) whether such standardised training will be able to prevent the recurrence of procurement-related lapses across the public sector.

Parliamentary Reply by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance, Mr Lawrence Wong:

Since 2018, all officers new to the procurement function are required to complete a compulsory e-learning training module, which covers the standard procedures for Government procurement.

While training is important, it cannot completely prevent lapses, especially given the large number of procurement transactions undertaken each year.  The Government will continue to find ways to reduce such procurement-related lapses.  For example, the Finance and Procurement Academy, set up by MOF, regularly shares with procurement officers the lessons from past lapses as well as the good practices to adopt.