Best value for money procurement cannot always be achieved solely by conformance to well intentioned pre-set rules. There really are so many ways of “fixing” a bid evaluation and contract award in order to arrive at some predetermined conclusion. Clearly most people would think it not ok to undertake a bidding exercise or make a contract award where bribes are paid in whatever form, in order to achieve a particular outcome. There is something of a cultural clash in procurement methodologies. The Western way works on the assumption, backed up by wide-ranging laws that procurement activities will generally be undertaken in an objective way.

Source: Manila Times November 22, 2016 15:58 UTC