Still no action on government’s promised overhaul of public tendering

For Immediate Release

December 9, 2013

Still no action on government’s promised overhaul of public tendering

St. John’s—With the fall legislative sitting of Newfoundland and Labrador's House of Assembly beginning to wind down, St. John’s North MHA Dale Kirby is questioning the provincial government's inaction on long-promised reform of public tendering practices and procurement legislation.

“Despite their endless promises to overhaul the public tendering process and remove barriers to local firms, government has failed to fulfill this commitment,” says Kirby.

Kirby believes that the current fall sitting of House of Assembly would have been an ideal time to introduce legislative changes to reform the process for public procurement and capital works tendering projects. Such changes are especially needed since contracts worth hundreds of thousands of dollars in goods and services are still being awarded outside of the public tendering process.

"I regularly hear from local business people who are frustrated and feel that the procurement process is stacked against local suppliers," Kirby says. "Our local entrepreneurs just want a level playing field, yet they are often made to jump through hoops with little to show for the effort. They deserve a lot better." 

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For more information, please contact:

Dale Kirby, MHA

dalekirby@gov.nl.ca

Tel: 709-729-6921